Merrill High School senior Bailee Golisch organized a donation drive in Merrill to help kids with special needs have a prom in Sevier County, Tenn. This area was ravaged by wild fires just after Thanksgiving this past year. Over 17,000 acres and more than 2,400 structures were destroyed.
One of the homes destroyed housed all the dresses, shoes, makeup and tiaras for the One Special Night event, a prom for all special needs students in Sevier County high and middle schools. More than 200 prom dresses that had been donated over the past three years were lost in the fire.
The owner of the home and organizer of the special needs prom, Melissa Dove, put out a call for donations to replace what was lost. Bailee and her family came across Dove’s plea on Facebook and she decided to get involved.
Bailee collected donations from St. Stephens UCC in Merrill, Merrill Youth Softball and prom dress exchange. She spent hours and hours shopping and putting this mission together. She collected 25 prom dresses and $500 worth of makeup. Bailee and her family loaded up their truck and are on their way to Sevier County, Tenn., this weekend to personally deliver the donated items.
Giving back is nothing new for Bailee, who volunteers weekly at church, is involved in Big Brother and Big Sisters, serves as a tutor at Washington School, and is a member of National Honor Society.
One Special Night will be held May 12 at First United Methodist Church in Gatlinburg, Tenn. The girls are offered a special makeover treatment before the dance.