By Jennifer Pfenninger, event chair of Pace Center for Girls, Lee County’s Love That Dress!

Love That Dress!, Pace Center for Girls, Lee County’s popular annual shopping event, is a great example of leading by example. It’s a time when area women show their generous, giving nature while celebrating the female spirit and style by supporting one another.

The ultimate feel-good shopping spree of the year, Love That Dress! is both an important fundraiser for Pace Center for Girls and a fashionable turnout. The evening of shopping, music and a silent auction delivers a tremendous impact for the at-promise girls of Lee County who are facing multiple risk factors impacting their academic achievement.

This year, shoppers will have access to an expansive inventory of more than 3,000 new and gently loved dresses, handbags, shoes and accessories, all to be sold at discounted prices during the event. With clothing options that include formal attire, dresses and separates, everyone wins – from the fashionistas to philanthropists, business professionals to bargain hunters – there’s something for everyone.

The biggest winners of all are the more than 100 girls served annually at Pace Center for Girls, Lee County, who are working to overcome risk factors such as poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, foster home placement, neglect, grief, incarceration of a family member and physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

In the past decade, Love That Dress! has raised an extraordinary $1.2 million to support strength-based, gender-specific programs for girls ages 11 to 18 to find their voice and achieve their potential. Pace’s organizing principles empower young woman to realize a better future through education, counseling, training and advocacy.

Since its inception, Pace Center for Girls, Lee County has helped more than 650 at-promise girls and young women celebrate a life defined by responsibility, dignity, serenity and grace. Pace alumnae include college students and college graduates, working professionals, mothers and wives, each of whom were able to overcome their respective challenges to become strong young women and productive, contributing members of society. After leaving Pace, 96% of students improved their academic performance, 95% had no involvement with the juvenile justice system within one year of exiting the program and 93% were either in school or gainfully employed.

Tickets for the Aug. 21 event are $30 in advance or $40 at the door. VIP tickets, which include exclusive pre-event access, are $150.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.LoveThatDressLeeCounty.com or call 239-425-2366.

About the Author

Jennifer Pfenninger is the event chair of the 11^th annual Love That Dress! event, which raises funds in support of Pace Center for Girls, Lee County and its strength-based, gender-specific programs that lead girls ages 11 to 18 in finding their voice and achieving their potential.