AUBURN — Sam Cote’s prom dress requirements were fairly simple. 

It had to be long enough to cover the bruises she got on her legs while playing goalie for her high school lacrosse team. It had to be a pretty color. It had to fit.

And free? Free would be really good, too. 

“I want to use my money for college, not prom,” said Cote, a Lewiston High School senior who hopes to attend Boston University in the fall. 

At the “Fairy Godmother Prom Gown Giveaway” at Foss Mansion in Auburn on Saturday, Cote’s wish came true in the form of a light lavender, floor-length chiffon grown with a line of puffy flowers along one shoulder.

“I wouldn’t, like, have thought I’d like the fluffy,” she said with a smile, cradling her new prom dress.

For other girls, The One was a short black dress. Or a strapless red gown. Or a dress in pink and white, with white shoes to match. 

About 55 girls in all got decked out for their prom for free — dozens more than expected.

“I would have been happy with 10 girls coming through,” said Denise Scammon, publicist for the Woman’s Literary Union of Androscoggin County.

Scammon came up with the idea for the gown giveaway as a way to draw attention to the Literary Union and to help high school girls who might have trouble affording their prom. This group began seeking new and gently used gowns at the end of March.

Scammon, who works as special sections editor for the Sun Journal, had hoped to collect about 50 dresses and a smattering of accessories. When Foss Mansion opened its doors to the girls at 8 a.m. Saturday, the Literary Union had racks filled with 225 gowns ranging from size 0 to 22 and tables covered in satin gloves, formal shawls, evening bags and high-heel shoes.   

Many of the donations came from local families who had prom or bridesmaid items they didn’t need anymore. A Lewiston High School teacher, who gives away prom dresses on her own, donated 23 gowns. Community Little Theatre donated 10 gowns.

Others donated their time. Volunteers set up the mansion’s second floor to resemble a designer boutique, made minor repairs and alterations to the dresses and helped direct people to the right racks. 

By mid-morning, Foss Mansion was filled with teenage girls in jeans and sneakers poring over lace, chiffon and satin.

Some found their dresses right away. Others took a while.

“There was one mother who was here, she had three girls with her. The first two found their gowns right off. The third one must’ve tried on every gown in her size. They were here for two hours,” Scammon said. “And when she finally found the gown she wanted — she looked gorgeous in everything she tried on — when she finally found the gown, I was downstairs and I could hear them all whooping, ‘She said yes to the dress!'”

On survey forms afterward, girls raved about the event.

“I felt like a princess,” one wrote.

Hanna Coughlin, 17, of Lewiston, tried on five dresses before she found The One, a long pink and white gown.

“I didn’t want to take it off,” she said.

If not for the giveaway, Coughlin said, she would have been forced to ask friends about borrowing a dress. Instead, she left Foss Mansion with her dream gown and a pair of white shoes to match.

Although the girls can keep the dresses, Literary Union members encouraged them to consider donating them back to the project. Scammon is certain the group will hold the giveaway next year.

“It will be bigger,” she said. “We want to reach even more girls.”

Cote didn’t need the encouragement to give something back to the organization that gave her the floor-length lavender dress. As she looked through the racks of gowns, she talked about donating a dress she’d bought two years ago.

“I know what it’s like to not have money for your stuff,” she said. “That would be terrible if the reason you’re not going to prom is not having a dress. “

ltice@sunjournal.com

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