Generally, Hillenburg-Holley asks students to return dresses, suits and tuxes after the big event so they can be shared with others the next year. “That’s amazing,” Booth said of Hillenburg-Holley’s expansive efforts. While Hillenburg-Holley recently recounted her work through the years, she also met with Rikka Booth, a former special education teacher interested in becoming the new Prom Mom. Her own son Joshua is developmentally disabled. It also means something that the Prom Mom works to make sure special-needs students such as Hart, who has autism, get to the big event. She can scarcely highlight her favorite part of it. Hannah Hart, a 20-year-old Columbus North senior, wore one of the gowns to the prom last year. Today, via the power of social media, plenty of students and parents know. “I never even knew back then that there was a Deana,” Reese said.Īt the time, news about prom help traveled slowly, by word of mouth. The work reminds Reese, a 1994 Columbus East grad who didn’t attend her senior prom because her dad was laid off and her family was hurting financially, how important Hillenburg-Holley is. Reese and Whicker have been Hillenburg-Holley’s assistants for years. Others donate restaurant gift certificates. Lynn Reese of Photolicious Keepsakes offers discounted photo packages and daughter Hanna Michaelis helps with makeup. So she has a soft spot regarding the pricey part of prom that keeps some students from attending.Ĭonsequently, she has volunteered alongside others such as Allison Watters of The Glass Slipper project in Brown County to find donated dresses, and for-free stylists such as Rene Whicker and others at The Cameo Room. She desperately worked to buy her own prom dresses in 19 partly because she did not want to stand out as a student without means. Hillenburg-Holley herself grew up financially struggling in Columbus. It tugs on my heartstrings,” Hillenburg-Holley said. “Last week, I had a girl break down crying in the parking lot after she picked up a dress - all because she felt so pretty,” Hillenburg-Holley said, referring to a scene at The Cameo Room, a hair shop serving as an unofficial headquarters. Augustine.But this is the last year in this role for Hillenburg-Holley, allowing her to focus on other priorities. An outdoor sports theme was the setting for the evening.Īfter a weekend stay at the historic Casa Monica Hotel, a two-day stay at Universal Orlando, and a seven-day Western Caribbean cruise to Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico aboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, the newlyweds are residing in St. The rehearsal dinner, hosted by the groom's parents, was held at Creekside Dinery. After the reception, the bride and groom left the reception in a horse-drawn carriage for a tour of the city before being dropped at the historic Casa Monica Hotel. An outside setting of hanging lights, table lanterns, driftwood and shells transformed the barracks into a unique beach setting. The reception, hosted by the bride's parents, was held at the St. David Beauchamp, Pastor, Crescent Beach Baptist, lead the wedding reception dinner prayer to bless the special day. Gordon Keller, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Chiefland, Florida, was the Marriage Officiant, and Dr. The groomsmen wore tuxedos by Allure accented with a handmade starfish boutonniere. Groomsmen were Brian Hudgins, Aaron Jackson, Austin Reese and Luke Taylor. Matthew Schonder and Marc Schonder served as best men. Jessica Brumleve, escorted by her husband, Eric Brumleve, carried the unity sand keepsake vase, which was placed on the table between the bride and groom's individual vials of decorative sand in coral and tan.
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