The rare opportunity for Diana and Megan Dunn is part of their preparations for a time-honoured tradition with a twist that will take place at Yenda in a few months.

The Mature Age Debutante Ball will take place on August 22 at the Yenda Hall and with eight already signed on, and a black-and-white theme chosen, organisers want to hear from any other women who’d like to take part.

Diana, 47, said the deb ball was a chance for her to experience a missed opportunity.

“I’ve always wanted to do this, but I just never got the chance to when I was a young girl,” Diane said.

“To do it now with my daughter should be really fun and we are helping to raise money for the Yenda Pool, too.

“All I want is a nice dress, a pair of court shoes and to learn how to do the waltz and the tango.”

Yenda Pool committee member and ball organiser Pat Kemp is urging any girls who are too old to make their deb in the usual way to contact her.

“We thought it would be nice to allow those who never got to make their deb to finally realise that dream,” she said.

“It’s not often an opportunity like this comes around. So far we have about eight people, but we’d like more.”

Forget stealing dress styles or hairdos, the biggest issue these two have is who gets to have husband and father Les as their partner.

Megan, 20, said she looked forward to dressing up and having some fun.

“I honestly probably wouldn’t have done my deb because it’s not something I ever really wanted to do, but with mum’s encouragement I decided I would,” she said.

“We are currently fighting over partners because I want dad to be mine and mum wants him, too.”

For more information about the debutante ball, call Pat on 6968 1715.

Tickets for the event and for a rainwater tank donated by Landmark and Nylex, which is being raffled to help raise funds, will go on sale soon.