Here's What's Happening in Mere Hours

Setting Up the Dance Tent for Tomorrow's Ball

Here are a few pictures of the crew setting up the tent for the 2nd Annual Cinderella Ball.

Thanks, Redskins All Stars, for helping to make this possible.

Gov. Kaine Again Lauds 2nd Annual Cinderella Ball, Praises The House's Mentoring Programs

Exciting News!

Gov. Tim Kaine has again praised The House's efforts to help Virginia students through the Cinderella Ball and our mentoring programs.

Here's the letter (click on it for a full version). The text of the letter is also printed below.


Dear Friends:

On behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia I send warm greetings to the organizers and attendees of the second annual Cinderella Ball hosted by The House, Inc.

I commend The House for your hard work and commitment to once again holding this year’s Cinderella Ball and I am confident that the Ball will be a huge success. Over the past year, the reputation of this event has grown and I am very pleased that some very special guests have been able to join you this evening. While I am not able to join you, please know that you have my support and I wish you all the very best of luck in all of your future endeavors.

When I served as the Chairperson of the Disability Commission, I learned so much about the needs and abilities of Virginians with disabilities and how government can best respond to them. One of the greatest lessons I learned was that persons with disabilities most often have the same needs and desires of any citizen. The Cinderella Ball offers many youngsters the opportunity to get dressed up and have a special evening.

I am also pleased to see the continuing impact of the mentoring offered by The House. By offering mentoring opportunities and matching youngsters with positive role models, you are assuring that these young students can stay on the right path and, eventually, help others. As a direct result of what you do at The House, your students develop independent skills and will one day serve as a positive role model for someone else.

Again, congratulations on hosting such a worthwhile event and best wishes for continued success.

Sincerely,

Timothy M. Kaine

Cinderella's Closet -- Week 2

Today, The House hosted the second round of Cinderella's Closet at the Crown Court facility. Several more young men and women came to get their special clothes for the 2nd Annual Cinderella Ball.

Below are a few photos from today's fittings. And check out our first day of fittings here.

First Day of Cinderella's Closet Covered in Potomac News

Check out this great coverage of The House's Cinderella Ball preparations from Monday's Potomac News.

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Teens pick dance clothes

By AMANDA STEWART

astewart@potomacnews.com

Monday, May 21, 2007

When Cari Cockrell walked into The House in Woodbridge, she knew what she was looking for.

Cari, 13, quickly pulled a red sparkly dress off a rack and walked into the dressing area.

Emerging a few minutes later, she twirled in her red dress for a crowd of onlookers.

"So pretty," her mother, Kim Cockrell said.

Cari and her friend Kelly Erickson, 15, were preparing for their first dance, the Cinderella Ball, sponsored by The House, a nonprofit tutoring and mentoring program in Woodbridge.

The dance is designed specifically for middle and high school students with disabilities.

For teens like Cari and Kelly, who attend Bull Run Middle School near Haymarket, the dance offers a chance to interact with their peers, Kim Cockrell said.

"They've been to a couple of school dances, but they usually end up standing in the back all night and don't do anything," Cockrell said. "This is a good chance for them to go and have fun with their peers and people from their class."

A few students from Cari's class may attend a typical school dance, but many more of them will attend the Cinderella Ball, Cockrell said.

This is the second year that The House has sponsored the Cinderella Ball.

"Last year the response was just phenomenal," said Helen McCormick, president of The House-Incorporated. "People have been calling literally since January to ask if we were doing this again."

This year, The House invited 200 students from Prince William County and the surrounding area. The dance, on June 1, will include a catered dinner inside The House, a renovated warehouse near B.J's Wholesale Club in Woodbridge. The dance will be outside, in a large event tent donated by the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation.

More than 100 volunteers have signed up to help on the night of the dance, she said.

The dance is still a little less than two weeks away, but the guests were already excited as they picked out dresses, shoes, necklaces, bracelets and other accessories, all donated by local stores and residents. Boys got to choose from racks of donated ties. Some also got a little help figuring out how to tie them.

"My dad knows how to do this, but I don't," said James Solis, 17, after a volunteer helped him pick out a red striped tie.

James and his friend, Terry Norman, 17, said they were excited to attend their first dance.

"I'm excited. It's my first big dance away from school. It will be fun," James said.

Closer to the big day, the students will return to The House to get their hair and makeup done and to get shoes shined.

The dance is fun for the students, but it means even more to their parents, McCormick said.

"Last year, a dad came up to me and said 'I never thought I'd dance with my daughter, and you gave me that chance.' It just touches your heart," she said.

Read the whole thing here.

Cinderella's Closet -- Week 1

The House hosted the first day of Cinderella's Closet on Sunday, May 20. The young women arrived in the afternoon excited for their appointment to find the perfect dress for the 2nd Annual Cinderella Ball and the shoes and jewelry to match. And the young men were able to pick from dozens of new ties donated by corporate friends of The House.

After the ladies found their dresses, ladies from the community were on hand to take measurements for any alterations were required. Following their fittings, the ladies made their hair and makeup appointments for the day of the Cinderella Ball. The men could make appointments to have their shoes shined.

Here are a few pictures from the great first day of Cinderella's Closet.

Setting Up Cinderella's Closet

Tomorrow we open Cinderella's Closet for our guests for the Cinderella Ball. The young ladies and gentlemen can come in, pick their dresses or ties, and get a fitting.

Thank you to everyone who helped make Cinderella's Closet possible. Here are a few photos before our guests show up tomorrow. (Click on the pictures to see larger versions.)