FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 8, 2015) – Love That Dress!7 will kick off its annual collection parties with the sixth annual SPADA-thon on Tuesday, May 19 from 4 to 8 p.m. at SPADA Salon & Day Spa, located at 13161 McGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers.

Benefiting the PACE Center for Girls of Lee County and the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, the kick-off event will include $20 wet hair cuts and $10 kids cuts, $15 mini manicures, $15 chair massages and reflexology, $10 eyebrow and lip waxing, Botox and fillers, clairvoyant and tarot-card readings, fashion boutique vendors, balloon pop games and prizes, a silent auction and more.

Last year’s event raised more than $20,000.

Admission to SPADA-thon is one or more gently worn dresses or $5 per person. For more information or to book an appointment in advance, call 239-482-1858 or visit www.SPADASpa.com.

This year’s Love That Dress!7 will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at the Embassy Suites in Estero, located at 10450 Corkscrew Commons Drive. In the months leading up to the event, members of the Southwest Florida community are asked to donate new and “gently loved” dresses and accessories at collection parties and convenient drop-off locations across the county. Collection parties hosted by generous local businesses and organizations are a great way to connect with community members and sample the local fare, all while collecting inventory, raising funds and generating awareness for the main event.

During the main event, attendees will enjoy shopping a huge inventory of designer and brand name dresses, shoes, accessories and jewelry, a silent auction full of unique packages, and cocktails. Suite and VIP ticket holders are granted access to early shopping, private dressing rooms, clothing holds, express check-out service, complimentary adult beverages, hors d’oeuvres and a private selection of decadent chocolates.

All proceeds from Love That Dress!7 will benefit the PACE Center for Girls of Lee County. PACE is a non-residential program targeting the unique needs of girls, ages 12 to 18, facing challenges such as physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, foster care, neglect, death of a parent, family history of incarceration and declining grades.

Dress collection parties include:

  • Sanibel-Captiva SS Hookers Sunset Party on Thursday, June 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. at SS Hookers, located at 17501 Harbour Pointe Drive in Fort Myers
  • Miromar Outlets Collection Event on Wednesday, June 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Miromar Outlets, located at 10801 Corkscrew Road in Estero
  • RumRunners Collection Event on Wednesday, July 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. at RumRunners Restaurant, located at 5848 Cape Harbour Drive in Cape Coral
  • Goodwill Too Boutique Collection Event & The Firestone After Party on Thursday, July 16 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Goodwill Too Boutique, located at 2401 First Street in downtown Fort Myers, and The Firestone, located at 2224 Bay Street in downtown Fort Myers.
  • Six Bends Harley-Davidson Lucky Number 7 Casino Night Final Collection Event on Friday, August 7 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Six Bends Harley-Davidson, located at 9501 Thunder Road in Fort Myers

Last year, nearly 4,000 new and gently loved dresses were sold at the shopping event, raising more than $125,000 for PACE.

PACE Center for Girls is a Florida-based, nonprofit organization and the only statewide prevention program for adolescent at-risk girls in the nation. In the past year, the Lee County program provided 116 girls with education, counseling, training and advocacy, resulting in 94 percent of girls in the program having no involvement with juvenile justice within six months of leaving PACE, 88 percent improving their academic performance and 80 percent remaining in school or obtaining employment three years after leaving PACE. As a result, PACE reduces the significant long-term costs associated with teen pregnancy, substance use, unemployment and long-term economic dependency.

PACE accepts referrals from the juvenile justice system, the Department of Children and Families, school personnel, community-service agencies, parents, family members and friends, as well as self-referrals.

For more information about the event, call 239-470-7548, visit www.pacecenter.org/lee or search “Love That Dress, Lee” on Facebook.