Dozens of teenage girls shuffled through racks of about 600 dresses that were donated by community members to allow them the opportunity to go to the prom this year.

The third annual Prom-a-Palooza, sponsored by Forrest General Hospital, allowed high schoolers to go to Bridal Bliss in Downtown Hattiesburg on Sunday to rent a prom dress for only $12 – the cost of cleaning by Westgate Cleaners.

Tyra Willamor, who coordinates the hospital’s Spirit Girls, said the Prom-a-Palooza has been a rewarding experience.

“The girls love it,” she said. “They love seeing girls that they sit next to in class, that they go to games with, that they go to baseball games with, their peers, and their plans that were not going to have the opportunity to go to prom. Now they get this advantage of getting to go.”

Paying forward extends to several areas.

“It’s feels good (to hold Prom-a-Palooza),” Willamor said. “But, it reflects on the community as well, a community that cares. I think empowered women empower women. Katie (Ward), the Bliss owner, also comes in from New Orleans and is here all day with us. She is just fantastic; she just steps right on in just like these are wedding dresses.”

“It’s exciting; I love it,” Ward said. “We did this last year. As soon as it was over, I said I want to do it next year.”

Ward said she is happy the Prom-a-Palooza has become a tradition.

“As soon as it’s your turn and you know it’s coming, you start getting excited about it,” she said. “The community here . . . that’s what I love about Hattiesburg. I’m not from here, but it is my college town. So I have always loved Hattiesburg. With things like this, you can tell how wonderful Hattiesburg is.”

Willamor said after the dresses are cleaned, they are stored for the next year.

“We try to clean them and then we also buy new storage boxes every year,” she said. “We have about 50 storage boxes now. I quit tracking inventory because of all the dresses. I quit tagging them at about 400; I just couldn’t keep up with all the donations.”

Ward said she has seen how the prom dress program has helped families.

“Last year, we had a mom who had three daughters and all going to the prom,” she said. “She said, ‘I was not going to allow them to go, and now they all get to go.’ It really makes you feel good.”

Willamor said applications for Spirit Girls are available March 20-April 20. Interviews for the position begin April 24.