As many a family with teen-age daughters has learned, prom night can be an expensive proposition for a young lady, with the price of a formal ensemble soaring into the hundreds of dollars.

So Chelsea Pleasants and the Purple Heart Team Relay for Life team from Mt. Gilead Baptist Church decided to do something about it.

They’ll hold a dress exchange April 1 at Goochland High School, where young ladies can check out a selection of formal wear, shoes, jewelry and accessories for prom night and other formal occasions.

Dubbed “Princess for a Day, Dress and Formal Wear Exchange,” the event is designed to make it possible for anyone to afford formal wear for the prom or other events.

A dress for the Prom will go for a $10 donation to Relay for Life.

That’s right - $10! Shoes and other accessories will go for $5.

Pleasants, who describes herself as a willing worker but not one who is comfortable in a leadership role, came up with the idea.

“I’ve never initiated anything,” she admitted.

But with three teenage daughters, she knows how expensive prom night can be.

Now she’s heading up a mushrooming fundraising project. She’s already storing more than 150 dresses in her home, with more surely to come.

“It can be financially overwhelming,” said Pleasants of the cost of an ensemble for a formal event. The fundraiser will also provide students with a way to give back to the community, she said.

Her daughter Jordan Brenner, a senior at GHS, has donated her prom dress from last year to the fundraiser.

“We felt the girls would be more comfortable coming here [to the high school] rather than going to Good Will,” said Jordan.

Dresses and accessories will be accepted up to March27 and can be dropped off at the high school between 7:30 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., said English teacher Melissa Petersen, school sponsor of the fundraiser.

Dresses can be dropped off at the Goochland Free Clinic & Family Services Clothes Closet at 2948 River Road West in Goochland Courthouse Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Another drop off point is at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church, located at 4768 Shannon Hill Road in Columbia, on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Petersen said she will donate her own prom dress along with several other dresses.

She said more than 20 student volunteers are helping out with the project.

“The price is low so anyone can participate,” explained Petersen, who said they have all sizes available from 0 to 18. The dresses will be dry cleaned and ready to wear.

Last year the Purple Heart Team raised $9,000 for Relay for Life and this year they hope to equal that with the Dress Exchange and other fundraisers.

“We just want the girls to feel good about themselves and know they are helping a good cause,” said Pleasants, who said that they may add tuxedos and clothes for boys to the project next year.

Now that the word is getting out, Pleasants said she has girls wanting to come to her house to look at the clothes.

“But they’ll just have to wait until April 1st,” she laughed.

For more information, call Chelsea Pleasants at (804) 457-2813.