Jennifer Pfenninger, Shelley Starner & Jennifer Nelson

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 2, 2015) – Miromar Outlets raised $500 during its “Make Magic Happen” collection event on June 24, where 150 dresses were donated to Love That Dress!7’s main event.

The evening included live music by Jennifer Gilmore, a Chinese raffle, savory hors d’oeuvres by Naples Flatbread & Wine Bar, desserts by Norman Love Confections and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and more.

“Miromar Outlets was excited to host the first ever Estero collection event for Love that Dress!, and we’re proud of its overall success,” said Shelley Starner, assistant general manager of Miromar Outlets and chair for this year’s Love That Dress!. “We’ve seen great support from the community and local businesses during this year’s collection parties and look forward to sharing PACE’s mission and cause at the next collection events.”

Miromar Outlets has donated 1,500 square feet of retail space that will serve as the main event’s “Dress Closet” for all of the new and “gently loved” inventory collected from the June through August collection events.

The next dress collection parties include:

  • RumRunners “Havana Nights” 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 Boutique on First “Uptown Funk” Collection Event on Thursday, July 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Goodwill Boutique on First, located at 2401 First Street in downtown Fort Myers with The Firestone After Party from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Firestone, located at 2224 Bay Street in downtown Fort Myers
  • Sephora Values Beauty Inside Out Collection Event on Friday, July 24 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Sephora, located at 23161 Fashion Drive, Suite 113 at Coconut Point in Estero
  • Six Bends Harley-Davidson Lucky Number 7 Casino Finale on Friday, August 7 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Six Bends Harley-Davidson, located at 9501 Thunder Road in Fort Myers

This year’s Love That Dress! 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 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 the huge inventory with friends, 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. VIP Suites are now available for purchase.  Tickets for the main event will go on sale Aug. 1. Visit www.lovethatdress.org for more information.

All proceeds from Love That Dress!7 will benefit PACE Center for Girls, 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, truancy and declining grades.

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, Inc. 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.lovethatdress.org or search “Love That Dress, Lee” on Facebook.

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