Annette John-Hall: Fairy Godmothers grant real girls' prom wishes

All I can remember thinking was, "There goes Rehoboth," as the costs mounted for my daughter Jaida's senior prom four years ago.

It looked as if our annual beach respite would be sacrificed for the perfect gown. Cha-ching. The right shoes. Cha-ching. The professionally done hair and makeup. Cha-ching. Limo rental, photos, spending money. Cha-ching cha-ching cha-ching.

Heck, this wasn't a school dance. It was the dress rehearsal for her wedding.

Yet it was worth every penny as I watched Jaida descend the stairs that night. The happiness on her flawlessly made-up face was as priceless as her black and white paisley silk gown was costly.

I mean, what mother doesn't want to make her daughter's dreams come true?

But these days, a parent can easily get priced out of the prom market. Sure, you can try to cut costs by gown-shopping on auction sites like eBay, but online shopping never guarantees a perfect fit - or a dream fulfilled.

Well, call Joyce Jesko a fairy godmother - not only because she grants wishes during a very special season in a girl's life, but because that's what she calls herself.

For more than a decade, Jesko's organization, Fairy Godmothers, has sold brand-new gowns for $10 to prom-bound girls with financial hardships. Gowns range from princessy to sleek, donated by reputable places like David's Bridal, Alfred Angelo, and Ashley's Bridal.

Jesko's own prom experience (Little Flower High School, Class of '71) spurred her to launch Fairy Godmothers after reading about a similar organization in Arizona.

"My father said we couldn't afford to send me," says Jesko, 57. "But my mother said, 'If we have to eat hot dogs, she's going.' I still remember my pale-blue lace gown with the biggest blue bow. . . . It took me three hours to get my hair up."

Fairy Godmothers also provides shoes for $5 and accessories for $2. Some of the proceeds go toward purchasing plus-size gowns - which aren't donated - to sell at the next year's event. Every girl should have her wishes granted, no matter what her size, Jesko says.

Mothers and daughters lined up as early as 7:30 Saturday morning at Cheltenham Mall for first dibs at the prom fair. After all, a fairy princess is nothing without the appropriate gown.

Fairy Godmothers prohibits mothers going into the fitting room with daughters - you know how pushy and stress-inducing we can be - but moms' smiles as their girls modeled their frocks were all the validation needed.

Shannell Tindall, a Parkway Northwest senior, emerged with two dresses - a navy for the prom and a white for the post-prom party. For 20 bucks, why not?

Whitney Bumpars, 17, was ecstatic with her choice, a black-and-white floor-length chiffon gown. And that was a relief for her mother.

"If kids don't have a job [to help defray costs], it's an added burden on the family," says Thesca Bumpars. But for the youngest of her four children, she adds, "I wanted to do this for her. This is her reward. It's how I show my love."

And it's the kind of love that won't break the budget. Now prom expenses may run "$100 for the whole night," guesses Whitney, a Delaware Valley Charter High School senior.

Janika Bennett, 18, scoured the racks with the help of personal shopper volunteer Rachel Washington. Bennett tried on a peach dress and a pewter dress before settling on The One - a rhinestone-embellished strapless lilac number with a tulle ballroom skirt. Gorgeous.

Jenise Dawkins, Janika's godmother, grinned her approval.

"To me, it's important that every girl look like a princess for prom. It's their time to shine. But a lot of parents don't have it," says Dawkins, 41, who stands in the gap for Bennett's mother. "This is a blessing."

I asked Janika, a School of the Future senior, what it felt like to be treated like a princess, not only by Fairy Godmothers but by Dawkins, too.

Janika shook slightly.

"She knows how I feel about her," she said, looking at her real-life godmother. "See? I'm about to cry."