The Volunteer Council has a big weekend ahead featuring simple and fun ways for everyone to make a difference.
On Friday night, the Council will host a Scrabble competition. Teams of two to four players will vie for the overall title by building the highest scoring word boards during timed rounds of play. Each player pays a $5 entry fee; proceeds will benefit the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury (www.lvgwct.org/). Dictionary “sneak peeks,” extra tiles, and two- and three- letter word “cheat sheets” will be available at a price. The fun begins at 6:30 p.m.; hot chocolate and cookies will help to keep the players sharp!
Sunday marks the return of the Winter Formal Dress Exchange. Last year, Taft students donated or loaned 219 pre-owned dresses to the swap shop, where, instead of buying a new dress for Winter Formal, girls rented used dress for a small fee. The event raised $2,100 which, less dry cleaning costs, was donated to charity. The cost to rent a dress this year will be $30, with one-half going to Girls, Inc. (www.girlsincswct.org). Girls, Inc. teaches girls strategies for overcoming social, intellectual, and economic challenges while empowering them to be the change agents for the coming generations.
Students are invited to drop off dresses for the exchange this Friday, 1/27 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Choral Room, and again from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Shopping day is Sunday, 1/29 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Choral Room.
"The dress exchange brings the Taft community together with a fun bonding activity,” explained Ali Tucci ’12. “It lessens the stress of spending a great deal of money on a new dress, and, most importantly, it is a charitable event that benefits more communities than just that of Taft. While this may not be the standard approach to the annual Winter Formal, the dress exchange is an exciting event that highlights Taft’s ongoing efforts to be an especially close community, both in and out of our brick walls.”
Started last year by then-seniors Annie Oppenheim and Abby Purcell, the dress exchange is billed as a cost effective, eco-friendly winter formal solution that also raises money for a good cause. Like last year, shopping day will be filled with music, food, spectacular dresses and of course, full-length mirrors. Dresses that girls do not want back will donated to a women’s shelter after the formal.