The Lewis Community Spouses Club (LCSC) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) has recently been selected to become part of Operation Deploy Your Dress (ODYD).  Based out of Fort Bliss, Texas, ODYD was founded in December 2015 with a mission to work with generous people around the country to provide free formal attire to servicemembers and their families in order to offset the financial burden of attending military balls and galas.

"Our Wear It Again Boutique has become Operation Deploy Your Dress," said Andrea Preusker, ODYD representative at JBLM. "We are so excited and hope you will be, too!"  

The Wear it Again Boutique loans dresses out, and ODYD clients receive one dress a year at no charge.

For younger military families, dress swaps or lending closets have long been a way to help meet the need for formal wear.  It was no different when friends Renee Chapman, Yvonne Coombs, Ronya Rendon and Melissa Riely came together at Fort Bliss to plan a dress giveaway.

Their efforts received national media attention, and next thing they knew, they were receiving thousands of gowns, shoes and accessories from all over the country. Since then, the organization has given away more than 2,000 gowns along with thousands of accessories, shoes and dozens of formal men's wear pieces.  With the success of their organization, the group is expanding to two other locations - Fort Eustis, Virginia, and right here at JBLM.  

Many junior soldiers and their families are on very tight budgets.  Attending a military ball can cost hundreds of dollars, including childcare, attire, hair and makeup. In an effort to make attending an event more affordable, ODYD is seeking donations of gently used formal gowns, shoes and accessories to be given to military spouses so they can attend their unit balls and galas. All sizes and styles are welcome along with formal wear accessories such as jewelry, shoes and purses.

"As soon as we have enough dresses, we will officially open," Preusker said. "We have two drop-off stations, the Cottage Boutique next door to the thrift shop at JBLM and at the Veterans National Lending Group in DuPont."

The group has arranged for an off-post drop-off station so non-ID cardholders can donate items easily.

"Veterans National Lending Group is always looking for ways to support our military community and those doing great things in our community, so when a call went out about needing a space, we agreed our office would work really well," said Amy Tiemeyer, client relations manager.

For more information about ODYD, contact Preusker at wearitagainlcsc@gmail.com.

DROP-OFF STATIONS

Veterans National Lending Group, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, 1570 Wilmington Dr. #140, DuPont, 253.267.5415, https://veteransnationallending.com/office/dupont/

Cottage Boutique, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays-Thursdays, 2070 Pendleton Rd., Lewis Main, 920.341.5272, lewiscommunityspousesclub.org

To mail a gown:
Operation Deploy Your Dress
2202 Ligget Ave. #175
P.O. Box 331400
JBLM, WA 98443