This year was record setting for the Dressember club as it has raised $7,212.08 with donations open until the end of January. This is almost double their original goal of $4,000.00, 

The club presidents contributed this boost to a larger amount of advocates this year, plus the community based fundraising of a dress swap, clothing sale and an ice skating fundraiser. 

Dressember is an international cause and organization which is based around wearing a dress every day of December to raise money for victims of human trafficking and cultivate awareness about the issue. 

Human trafficking, otherwise known as modern day slavery, is a $150 billion dollar industry present in every state and about 127 countries. 

“With a dress, it was because in the past and in history, the dress has been a symbol of weakness and that women are frail and not able to do as much as men… we are trying to set the standard that you can do anything in a dress,” said senior Ellie Dowling, who is a Co-President of the club. 

“Dressember isn’t as hard as it seems… thinking about the overall outcome it’s helping so many people change their lives, all you’re doing is giving up jeans for a month and you’re saving a lot of people’s lives,” said co-president Dowling. 

In 2019, Dressember raised $2,000,000 which is more money than any other year. Since the organizations start, $9,500,000 has been raised.

“It’s just knowing that I’m helping other people, and that I’m able to do something, no matter how big or small it is. I’m able to give others a voice,” said Cari Brandt, who has participated in Dressember for the past two years. 

While many do choose to follow the namesake of Dressember by wearing a dress every day, another option is to wear a tie. 

“A lot of people think that it’s just a thing for girls, girls wear dresses and raise awareness, but I think that if only girls do it, the importance of it may only get across to girls,” said sophomore, Perry Dowling, who has participated in two years of Dressember so far. 

On February 13, club members are planning to continue to raise awareness by putting a red “X” on their hands for Human Trafficking Prevention Day.

“I think a lot of people in Dressember are young women, and when you learn more about [human trafficking] you realize the main target are children and women, which is who we are. Standing up for people who are just like us is an empowering movement for being a women and for being young,” said co-president, senior Lucy Hodge.