Local great-grandmother is helping to make prom dreams come true

Merle Skipwith says the story broke her heart -- a local high school girl who could never afford a dress for the big dance.

“She was living underneath a bridge, and she wanted to go to prom,” Skipwith said.

So the great-grandma, affectionately known as Ms. Skippy, made a dream come true.

“I like being able to show a young lady how beautiful she can look in one of my dresses,” Skipwith said.

For the last 13 years in South Fulton County, and another 25 before that up in Ohio, Ms. Skippy has provided high school girls with prom and graduation dresses free of charge.

She networks with local boutiques, department stores, and dry cleaners and has more than 150 fancy dresses to choose from. Many have never been worn.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Motorcyclist dead after crashing into GDOT vehicle on I-75, GSP says

• YSL case attorney brought prescription pills into courthouse, threw phone at deputy, sheriff says

• This metro Atlanta taqueria is said to have the best taco in Georgia

“This is one of my dresses and the tag is still on here,” she said, showing the dress to Channel 2′s Berndt Petersen.

The dress was from Neiman Marcus. It was originally $328. At Ms. Skippy’s, the girls don’t have to pay a penny.

She is set up in the Old National Outlet Mall at 4855 Old National Highway in College Park, serving young girls in an underserved community.

Ms. Skippy said she remembers them all, especially the teen who was living underneath a bridge.

“After we got her dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror and she cried. She said, ‘I can’t believe I look this beautiful.’ So these dresses mean a lot to these students who either don’t have one or their parents don’t have the money to spend. I’m here to make that happen,” Skipwith said.

Ms. Skippy will have the shop open through the middle of May, every Thursday through Sunday, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

IN OTHER NEWS: