ABOVE: Many new, designer dresses are available in Runway for Action’s pop up boutique at Five Lakes Centre in Fairmont. The shop will be open for prom dress shopping from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday.

FAIRMONT– Runway for Action is returning this year with more dresses and a goal of reaching more young women. The program, put on through Action169, allows young women to rent a designer dress while supporting a worthy cause.

Action169 is a local organization that is built on a foundation of prayer and is committed to addressing commercial sexual exploitation and substance use through Christ-centered prevention, intervention and holistic care services.

Last year, in the first year of Runway for Action, Action169’s executive director, Danielle Freitag, and sister advocate, Diana Bradley, partnered with Fairmont High School. The two presented the concept to an auditorium full of female junior and senior students and on a weekend in the winter, the students were able to “shop” for prom dresses in the school’s media center.

This year, the pop up boutique has moved to Five Lakes Centre in Fairmont where there’s more space to display the large amount of dresses that are available.

Speaking on the goal of the program, Bradley said, “when women help women, the result is powerful. The idea is you wear a dress to represent your solidarity with women who have struggled in their life.”

Students pay only a small rental fee of $52 which covers the cost of cleaning the dress. Action169 has received the support fo several businesses and the funds they receive go toward intervention, prevention and restoration in women’s lives.

There are no reservations to shop but the pop up boutique will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning this Saturday. It will also be open the following three Saturdays, Jan. 28, Feb. 4 and Feb. 11 also from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bradley said in looking for a space she made several inquires but that the mall’s owner, Dahmon Gullord, was very accommodating in letting them set up in an empty store for four weeks. The change of venue is not only welcome, but needed.

“Last year we had a little over 70 dresses and now we have over 200,” said Bradley.

The dresses are donated and come from three different high end stores that Bradley secured through networking. One in Manhattan, NY, another in Geneva, IL and another in Woodbury, MN.

“They have done an amazing thing in partnering with us,” Bradley said.

There are a few other dresses that were donated from other people and places but Bradley estimates that 90 percent of the dresses are brand new. Some carry an original price tag of upward toward $3,000.

The dresses come in all different colors, styles and sizes. The dresses are size 0-28. Some of the styles are simpler while others are completely bejeweled. There is also jewelry available and a limited selection of shoes and purses.

Also available in the pop up boutique is a smaller selection of winter banquet dresses.

While they’re a rental, the dresses can be altered, which is unusual, but Bradley pointed out that the dresses were gifted. Alterations won’t be offered at the store but they will be able to make referrals.

As for who will be working at the pop up boutique, Bradley said they’re all volunteers. She and Freitag will be there, as well as a number of students who are volunteering their time through the National Honor Society.

While Action169 originally partnered with Fairmont, this year it’s also partnering with Blue Earth Area Schools. However, all students in the area are welcome to come look at and/or rent a dress.

Last year, about 30 students opted to wear a Runway for Action dress.

“Some of those girls, now onto university, came home for Christmas break and donated their time to help get this set up,” Bradley said of the store space.

Looking toward the future, Bradley hopes to see the program continue to grow. She pointed out it’s a win-win as students get a beautiful prom dress for next to nothing while also supporting other women.

“I hope people come check out to see what we have to offer,” Bradley said.