Active Duty Navy, USMC Wives Thrilled with Donated Gowns for 2013 Commandant's Marine Corps Birthday Ball

Desert Best Friend's Closet has more than 900 formal dresses to outfit active-duty military women and wives of Marines for the 2013 Commandant's Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Palm Springs in November.

Several women based at Twentynine Palms were trying on gowns Friday at The Classic Club in Palm Desert.

Hannah Thompson, 21, of Lakeview, Oregon, is an active-duty U.S. Navy E3, and she was with Sarah Upchurch, of Munford, Alabama, who just married USMC Lance Cpl. Evan Upchurch, and Marine wife Stacy Robertson of Tampa, Florida.

"There's a lot of beautiful gowns here," Upchurch said. "It's really hard to choose."

"It's really convenient, too," said Thompson, who is engaged to USMC Sgt. Chris Reed, also of Tampa. "Because we don't make much money being in the military and it's nice to have someone, part of the community, be able to give us the opportunity to save money, and have something beautiful for this event."

Lucy Lemus, of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and her husband USMC Sgt. Diego Rojas, from Bogotá, Colombia, have been based at Twentynine Palms for six months, she said.

They met at a previous Commandant's Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Honduras, Lemus said. She said she still has the lucky gown, but she hoped to find something different to wear to this year's event.

"DBFC wants to honor the wives of servicemen by providing them with ball gowns for this annual event," Desert Best Friend's Closet president and co-founder Connie Golds said. "This year the ball commemorates the 238th birthday of the Marine Corps."

Appointments are still available for fittings on Sunday Oct. 20, Golds said Friday. Call Golds at (760) 776-9975 for more info.

Desert Best Friend's Closet provides a diverse array of clothing to economically disadvantaged and underserved men, women, and at-risk youth of the Coachella Valley.

The non-profit relies on the financial contributions, in-kind donations and volunteer efforts of individuals and companies who are committed to helping our clients take charge of their lives and become productive members of the community.

The agency has served 1,742 men, women and youths since 2010 in their store at 75-048 Gerald Ford Drive, Suite 102 in Palm Desert, Golds said.