Thanks to the efforts of a local charity, several dozen high school students got to enjoy their prom night last month.

Calvin Byrd, president of KARE for Kids, said the organization started a side project this year that raised dollars for haircuts, makeup, dresses and tuxedos to assist 32 students who might not otherwise have been able to attend the prom April 24.

Byrd said there were several members of KARE for Kids who wanted to run with the project.

KARE for Kids volunteer Rebecca Franklin took charge of the project from the start.

“It went fantastic,” Franklin said. “We had great assistance from several businesses. They were more than willing to help out.”

Added Byrd: “These people put forth efforts to make prom night for these kids as special as it could be.”

The high school was instrumental, he said, in finding people who would make donations, as well as contacting students who might benefit from the effort.

“The kids were very appreciative of what was done, and they were real excited about it ... at the end of the day, it helped kids, and that’s what KARE is all about,” he said.

KARE for Kids is a volunteer-based, non-profit organization that provides for children in Dawson County.

According to its Web site, the group addresses the needs of children by raising money to provide necessities for them.

KARE for Kids meets at 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month at city hall.

For more information, visit www.kareforkids.us.