Eldred Township Community Thrift Store took the stress out of the hunt for the perfect dress at their first prom dress sale on Saturday afternoon.

Finding the perfect look, color and fit is more than enough of a hassle for young ladies during prom season, and the costs for new apparel and accessories can be outrageous.

But this weekend, students got the opportunity to find their dream dress at a fraction of the cost and hassle at the Thrift Store’s specialty sale.

“We decided about a month ago that it was crazy how much the girls pay to go the prom, so we started collecting dresses,” volunteer Donna Deihl said. “Today, we had a prom dress sale for $10 a dress.”

With hundreds of dresses available in a variety of styles, colors and sizes, there was something for just about everyone. Along with the dresses, shoppers could pick up shoes for $5, bags for $2 and jewelry from $3 to $8. Vendors for Mary Kay and Paparazzi Accessories were also on hand.

At 4 p.m., the volunteers held a drawing and gave away four dresses for free.

The great selection and incredible savings drew plenty of shoppers to the Community Room as soon as the doors opened.

“You couldn’t walk in the door at 2 o’clock. They were waiting, easily about 50 were waiting to get in,” Deihl said.

Dorothy Franzo found the event on Facebook, and brought her daughter Abigail to find a good deal on her prom dress

“It’s a great idea, and a good selection. It’s nice to be able to look at some different things, and hopefully she’ll get something that she can wear that doesn’t break the bank,” Franzo said.

Abigail was surprised by the stock and the great prices, which are significantly less than the cost of a new garment.

“It’s a really nice selection, I really like it. There’s a lot of dresses,” Abigail Franzo said as she browsed the store.

Deihl said that out of the dozens of customers who perused the shop on Saturday, the vast majority found a dress and some accessories. Based on the success of the event, she said she could see the Thrift Store holding another dress sale in the future.

“I think that we may do homecoming in the fall,” she said.