Locals collect over 350 shirts for Dress a Girl program
Pictured above are some of the girls who were gifted Dress A Girl dresses across the world.
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November 28, 2018
Charlea Estes-Jones
A worldwide mission hit locally when a Cassville woman started taking up donations for dresses for impoverished girls in other countries.
Sue Cavness and her husband, Joe, visit Harlington, Tex., each winter. They go to an RV resort called Tropic Winds, and it was there that Cavness learned of the program. She became involved the ministry called Dress A Girl Around the World. The campaign is aimed at bringing dignity to girls and women around the world, according to its mission statement.
Dress A Girl volunteers take dress shirts and cuts and sews them into new dresses. The dresses are then handed out my missionaries all over the world to girls in need.
Cavness said, “We spent the first year at Tropic Winds, and they had a work day and I ended up attending the work days and organizational meetings. They had 12 different stations set up, and you work on these dresses. At the end of three months working on them, we had over 200 dresses made.”
The original goal for the Tropic Winds group was 25 dresses.
Cavness said, “A few weeks later, I received pictures through an email with pictures of these girls with dresses on. It really made it full circle and hit home. When you see that dress that you helped make and cut and sew, and you see it on these girls in these poverty-stricken areas, it makes a huge impact.
“At this point, I told my husband that when we got home I wanted to ask our pastor if I could use our church’s Facebook to get information out to our church family.”
The Cavnesses are members of Emmanuel Baptist Church, and she said their pastor was enthusiastic about the project and fully supportive.
Cavness said surpassing that goal and seeing how the program worked really inspired her to share the mission locally.
“I talked to our congregation and put out a Facebook message. I think it was shared around 60 times. It went all over the United States, and more people wanted to know about it and be a part of it and help.”
Now, there is a Dress A Girl Southwest Missouri Facebook page where Cavness provides updates and puts out information for those wanting to help. To date, she has collected 350 dresses locally to take down to Texas for work days.
She said, “My goal was, if I could collect one shirt, that is one little girl that will get a dress and hopefully change their destiny in life for the better. My goal then was 25.”
Twenty-five was a small goal compared to how many people stepped up to help. She said, “We organized our own work day here in which we cut out pockets and ruffles and shirt pieces, and when it’s all said and done, as of today, we have almost 350 shirts now that I’ll be taking down to Texas when we go.”
Cavness continued, “There is no other explanation of this ministry other than God has his hand all over it. I can’t explain some of the things that have happened. I was worried about how we would be getting nearly 350 shirts down there, and then another friend just left a few days ago and took a big load. Joe and I will take the rest. God has brought me to this, he isn’t going to leave me hanging with a problem now.”
Cavness said her church has stepped up, but even members of the community had came to her aid any time she thinks there would be a problem. When she worried about covering shipping costs to the missionaries, someone donated $100. No matter the need, it seems to be filled before she asks.
She said, “Every time a problem comes up, something happens and comes up.”
She also said that her husband’s support has been integral in keeping the program going locally and supporting her.
Cavness said she didn’t expect how much the program has taken off or how many people would see the value. She said, “The mission statement is simple: It’s pretty simple. Every girl deserves a dress. They want girls to know they are worthy of respect and they are loved by God.”
Cavness added that missionaries have reported that the patch sewn to the outside of the dresses also have come to serve as a warning sign for potential predators who would harm the girls. She said, “Every shirt has the Dress a Girl patch that is sewn onto the front pocket of the dress. It really wasn’t the intention at the very beginning, but the village pastor say the patch indicates to would-be predators that these girls are under the protection of an organization and prayer and keeps these crazies away from these little girls.
“That’s been a huge thing with the dresses, it’s helped with trafficking. Some of these girls live in the low of the low and are around all kinds of predators and these dresses not only raise their dignity as how they are viewed by others but as a shield of protection, as well.”
Cavness is still accepting shirts to take to Texas to be turned into dresses and handed out to missionaries. Shirts must be men’s 100 percent cotton or close to 100 percent cotton button up dress shirts, preferably not white. Shirts should be in good condition with no stains or rips in the main part of the shirt. Long- and short-sleeved shirts are accepted. Donations should be made before Christmas to be included in this load to be taken to Texas.
To make a donation, Cavness said, “Like the Facebook page. Emmanuel Baptist is the drop off place. There is a tub in the foyer of the church. If it’s locked, just ring the doorbell. Liking the Facebook page and messaging me is the quickest way. I’m very responsive to those messages, and I’d be glad to pick them up.”
Cavness is also collecting donations to cover shipping and 100 percent cotton used material, ruffles and facings for boys’ shorts and dresses, as well.
The Facebook page is “Dress A Girl Southwest Missouri.”
Charlea Estes-Jones
A worldwide mission hit locally when a Cassville woman started taking up donations for dresses for impoverished girls in other countries.
Sue Cavness and her husband, Joe, visit Harlington, Tex., each winter. They go to an RV resort called Tropic Winds, and it was there that Cavness learned of the program. She became involved the ministry called Dress A Girl Around the World. The campaign is aimed at bringing dignity to girls and women around the world, according to its mission statement.
Dress A Girl volunteers take dress shirts and cuts and sews them into new dresses. The dresses are then handed out my missionaries all over the world to girls in need.
Cavness said, “We spent the first year at Tropic Winds, and they had a work day and I ended up attending the work days and organizational meetings. They had 12 different stations set up, and you work on these dresses. At the end of three months working on them, we had over 200 dresses made.”
The original goal for the Tropic Winds group was 25 dresses.
Cavness said, “A few weeks later, I received pictures through an email with pictures of these girls with dresses on. It really made it full circle and hit home. When you see that dress that you helped make and cut and sew, and you see it on these girls in these poverty-stricken areas, it makes a huge impact.
“At this point, I told my husband that when we got home I wanted to ask our pastor if I could use our church’s Facebook to get information out to our church family.”
The Cavnesses are members of Emmanuel Baptist Church, and she said their pastor was enthusiastic about the project and fully supportive.
Cavness said surpassing that goal and seeing how the program worked really inspired her to share the mission locally.
“I talked to our congregation and put out a Facebook message. I think it was shared around 60 times. It went all over the United States, and more people wanted to know about it and be a part of it and help.”
Now, there is a Dress A Girl Southwest Missouri Facebook page where Cavness provides updates and puts out information for those wanting to help. To date, she has collected 350 dresses locally to take down to Texas for work days.
She said, “My goal was, if I could collect one shirt, that is one little girl that will get a dress and hopefully change their destiny in life for the better. My goal then was 25.”
Twenty-five was a small goal compared to how many people stepped up to help. She said, “We organized our own work day here in which we cut out pockets and ruffles and shirt pieces, and when it’s all said and done, as of today, we have almost 350 shirts now that I’ll be taking down to Texas when we go.”
Cavness continued, “There is no other explanation of this ministry other than God has his hand all over it. I can’t explain some of the things that have happened. I was worried about how we would be getting nearly 350 shirts down there, and then another friend just left a few days ago and took a big load. Joe and I will take the rest. God has brought me to this, he isn’t going to leave me hanging with a problem now.”
Cavness said her church has stepped up, but even members of the community had came to her aid any time she thinks there would be a problem. When she worried about covering shipping costs to the missionaries, someone donated $100. No matter the need, it seems to be filled before she asks.
She said, “Every time a problem comes up, something happens and comes up.”
She also said that her husband’s support has been integral in keeping the program going locally and supporting her.
Cavness said she didn’t expect how much the program has taken off or how many people would see the value. She said, “The mission statement is simple: It’s pretty simple. Every girl deserves a dress. They want girls to know they are worthy of respect and they are loved by God.”
Cavness added that missionaries have reported that the patch sewn to the outside of the dresses also have come to serve as a warning sign for potential predators who would harm the girls. She said, “Every shirt has the Dress a Girl patch that is sewn onto the front pocket of the dress. It really wasn’t the intention at the very beginning, but the village pastor say the patch indicates to would-be predators that these girls are under the protection of an organization and prayer and keeps these crazies away from these little girls.
“That’s been a huge thing with the dresses, it’s helped with trafficking. Some of these girls live in the low of the low and are around all kinds of predators and these dresses not only raise their dignity as how they are viewed by others but as a shield of protection, as well.”
Cavness is still accepting shirts to take to Texas to be turned into dresses and handed out to missionaries. Shirts must be men’s 100 percent cotton or close to 100 percent cotton button up dress shirts, preferably not white. Shirts should be in good condition with no stains or rips in the main part of the shirt. Long- and short-sleeved shirts are accepted. Donations should be made before Christmas to be included in this load to be taken to Texas.
To make a donation, Cavness said, “Like the Facebook page. Emmanuel Baptist is the drop off place. There is a tub in the foyer of the church. If it’s locked, just ring the doorbell. Liking the Facebook page and messaging me is the quickest way. I’m very responsive to those messages, and I’d be glad to pick them up.”
Cavness is also collecting donations to cover shipping and 100 percent cotton used material, ruffles and facings for boys’ shorts and dresses, as well.
The Facebook page is “Dress A Girl Southwest Missouri.”