Young women leaders to provide prom

To ensure girls at Sneedville High School in Hancock County get to have a proper prom, girls who are part of this year's Youth Leadership Wilson Class, along with their counterparts at Friendship Christian School, are collecting items to help them dress and look the part.

Friendship Christian junior Ashlee Agee, a Youth Leadership Wilson member, said helping out the girls at Sneedville High School is part of her class's project.

"FCS has been doing this for the past two or three years, but this is the first time for Leadership Wilson to be a part of it," Agee said. "[Leadership Wilson director] Dorie [Mitchell] thought the project would be great for us."

Hancock County is the poorest county in Tennessee, and many projects, such as Possum Town Outreach that collects items to take to those in need in Sneedville are directed toward helping those in need. Many of the projects to help out the folks in Hancock County involve collecting and distributing food. But girls don't live by food alone – they need to dress up.

The students are collecting any new or used prom dresses in all sizes, all sizes of shoes that would be worn to an upscale occasion, and any makeup or hair products they would be able to use in prom preparations.

"Any and all prom accessories are needed," Agee said.

The deadline for dropping off donations is April 1. Then on April 7-9, the group plans to take the dresses, shoes and everything donated to Sneedville. It will all be in the school's gym, and the Sneedville High School girls can go "shopping" for everything they'll need for their big night.

"We will even have people there doing hair and makeup lessons," Agee said.

There are two drop-off locations for these items – Lebanon Chemical off Baddour Parkway in Lebanon during store hours, or at the main office at Friendship Christian School during school hours.

"These girls see this as a great opportunity for mission work close to home," Mitchell said.