Ivalee Smith took a long look at herself in the mirror and beamed. She wore a dark gray gown with beading that resembled shooting stars, and the result was magical. “I felt absolutely beautiful,” she said later. “I felt like I was wearing the night sky.”
The 17-year-old high school senior recently found the dress of her dreams during one of YWCA Central Alabama’s Prom Palooza events held in Birmingham and Pell City. The YW provided free prom dresses and accessories to 222 girls, filling a tremendous need.