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An estimated 250 graduating students lined up at a northeast mall Sunday to say ‘Yes’ to a prom dress, at a steep discount.

Marlborough Mall collected hundreds of donated ball gowns, 1980s-style dresses and other ensembles with varying hemlines for its ninth annual GownTown event, which sells gently used prom attire for $10.

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All cash collected from the event goes to Aspen Family Services, an agency that provides housing, food and other support for those experiencing poverty.

“We’ve had significantly more people this year than we’ve ever had in the past,” said Kim Wiltse, a marketing director with the mall.

The event typically draws about 100 graduating students looking for a prom dress, but this year’s edition has likely more than doubled that turnout, said Wiltse, who attributed the spike to poor economic conditions.

“Grads can be expensive,” she said, adding some dresses can cost $300 to $500 off the shelf. “Finding the perfect dress for $10 is going to make a huge difference, and they’re beautiful. A lot of the dresses still have tags on them. You’d never guess that they were worn before.”

Kadeidra Black, a graduate, said she was taken aback by the variety of dresses on offer. When she found one she loved, “I had to have it.”

“I expected to find simple dresses, but when I found this it was really amazing.”

For many, the generosity of Calgarians who donated threads for the event did not go unnoticed.

“It’s pretty awesome that they’re doing this for people and teenagers that can’t really afford to go and spend like $300 on a grad dress,” said Sarah Burns, a graduating student.