"Mom Proms": A back-in-time boogie for a cause
You've heard about fundraisers where a ticket can cost a small fortune. Great - for people who can afford it. But women across the country are bringing in the idea that, when it comes to helping charity, every little bit counts.
And, according to CBS News Correspondent Michelle Miller, they have a great time doing it. For a nominal fee of $5 to $25, women are inviting their best friends, sisters and mothers to enjoy a night out - without their husbands and children.
Some women are never too old to play dress up, especially if it's for a good cause.
Betsy Crapps is the founder of Mom Prom, a nationwide movement where women raise money for charity while wearing the clothes of their past - from old prom dresses to bridal gowns.
"It's just so much fun. It's the one night women have no responsibilities and get together. It's sort of like a sisterhood," Crapps explained.
Crapps and her sisterhood are raising money for the HHT Foundation, a charity close to Jody Nissan's heart. Her husband and kids have HTT, a rare genetic blood disorder that can be fatal.
"It means everything because there's no funding right now for HHT, so the only money that you get is through grassroots fund-raising," a partygoer and HHT organizer Jody Nissan said.
"We can make such a big difference. As my friend says we're changing the world one prom at a time," Crapps added.
With over 50 mom proms planned in 30 states, organizers have already raised more than $30,000 this year.
In places like Bowling Green, Kentucky Miller met up with another Mom Prom organizer, Chastity Rodgers, who greeted her with fabulous frocks from back in the day.
Miller couldn't resist trying on Chasity's cousin's bridesmaid dress from 1992!
But what is it about women getting together for a cause?
"Because we always get together...ladies always get together. If we're going out to eat or going to the movies or just doing something together, so what other better way to have a prom!" Rodgers said.
Rodgers and her relatives are raising money for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.
"Two of my aunts had cancer," says Rodgers' cousin. "It's very difficult to see someone you love in so much pain and just to watch their life end."
That's why they're partying for a cure.
Just like in high school the night had its moments - from the crowning of a prom queen to the fabulous walk down memory lane - these proms are proof that re-living the past can be the best way to build a better future, Miller said.
Mom proms have raised between $400 to more than $10,000. Some charge as little as $5 at the door, which isn't a lot of money. But consider, Miller said, they have little to no overhead and get most of their supplies and food donated. The point is raise awareness, a little money and have a good time.
How was this Mom Prom experience for Miller?
"You couldn't tell I was having a blast? Not once did I obsess about how I looked," she tells "Early Show" co-anchor Erica Hill. "I mean look at this dress...How couldn't I? But the best part about the whole evening, (was) seeing cancer survivors get up and dance the night away. That was inspiring."