The proms will go on in Cape Breton

Some businesses and volunteers in Cape Breton have banded together to ensure students graduating from at least four high schools will have a prom.

DJ Majestic and a downtown Sydney formalwear shop called Timeless have put out a call for volunteers and are making lists of items and services for the events.

"Nobody has cancelled prom. The hope is that this work-to-rule will get solved beforehand. We basically just want to have a back-up plan, an alternative in the case that it isn't," said Brittany Woodworth, who owns Timeless.

There is still no confirmation about the prom planned for Breton Education Centre in New Waterford. But dances will be organized for Glace Bay, Riverview, Sydney Academy and Memorial High in Sydney Mines, she said.

'This has already snowballed'

The venues will stay the same. The Bayplex, Centre 200 and Emera Centre are saving the dates, 

The cancellations of the Coal Bowl and Red Cup over the past week indicated that perhaps proms may be called off too, Woodworth said. "I couldn't stand the thought of them [students] missing out on one more event."

Woodworth has been posting notices about organization efforts on Facebook. Meetings are planned to work out details such as catering, security and choreography for the grand marches. 

She said in the coming weeks, organizers will make a list of what they need to happen to make the events happen. 

"This has already snowballed and taken on a life of its own already," she said. "We're hoping that there will be parent committees at each school to help us out."

'I'm really over the moon'

Some of Woodwoth's motivation is personal. Her younger sister is in Grade 12 at Riverview High School.

Her help is appreciated by two of the school's Grade 12 students, who say they are ecstatic the dances will go ahead.

"To put it in simple words, we were eulogizing our grad year," said Ann Marie Hillier. She, like a number of other girls, had postponed buying a prom dress.

"We were really worried we would spend hundreds of dollars on a dress we would never wear. It would be heartbreaking to see it just hanging in the closet," she said.

Now she said she's "really over the moon."

Sophia Roy took a chance on buying her dress — red, like her school colour — back in November, before teachers started work-to-rule job action. Now she's looking forward to wearing it. 

"It is a huge relief ... It made me very happy, they're in our corner and they want to help us," she said of the prom organizers.

'It's a big milestone'

In New Waterford, Cameron MacNeil, a Grade 12 student at Breton Education Centre, said he and some of his classmates are also determined their prom shall go on.

He said he's been looking for a venue and has contacted bands to see if they would provide live entertainment. 

"We've been looking toward getting the rink for the grand march and our prom," he said. 

"I am willing to donate my time, to do anything that it takes, whether it be a bottle drive or going and looking for donation bagging groceries or pumping gas, it doesn't matter to me."

He's said he's not taking sides in work-to-rule because "who knows what is going on behind closed doors." But he said it has been frustrating for students.

"It is sad it had to come to this. It's a lot of wear and tear on students. We deserve to have a full prom. It's a big milestone in your life."