By Elizabeth Stieber
Times Staff Writer
Joyce Jesko remembers that she almost didn’t get to go to her senior prom at Little Flower High School in 1971.
“My father said I wasn’t going because we couldn’t afford it,” she recalled. “But my mother turned to him and said, ‘Oh, yes she is.’”
One of the biggest highlights of a teenage girl’s life is her prom. It’s a chance to buy a beautiful gown and feel like Cinderella for an evening. But the cost of a dress, shoes, accessories, makeup, hairdo and prom ticket today can add up to hundreds of dollars.
And not every girl’s parent can assure her she’s going, as Jesko’s mother did.
But Jesko and her sister, Barbie McDonald, have found a way to be fairy godmothers to area Cinderellas.
Jesko, who now lives in Doylestown, is the chief executive officer for Cobra Wire & Cable Inc. Tucked inside Cobra Wire’s corporate headquarters in Hatboro, Montgomery County, is an office filled with about 2,000 long gowns in every size, design, texture and color. Makeup, shoes, jewelry and pocketbooks line the shelves.
It’s the headquarters for Fairy Godmothers Inc.
For the past three years, Jesko and McDonald have gathered donated gowns and accessories to sell at their annual prom fairs. The items are sold at dramatically reduced prices for girls who can’t afford the high cost of prom night.
How reduced? A gown costs $5. A pair of shoes and accessories cost no more than $3, depending on the item.
“The most it will cost a girl is fifteen dollars,” Jesko said. “If you can get a three-hundred-dollar dress for five dollars, that’s not bad.”
The proceeds are used to transport the dresses from her office in Hatboro to the Prom Fair location, rent or purchase such necessities as tables and chairs for the fair, and pay for the proms of two seniors who entered their names in a drawing prior to the fair.
The winners’ names will be posted at the upcoming Prom Fair.
Jesko had read about a similar program while visiting Arizona in January 2000. She met with the organizer of the Arizona Fairy Godmothers and brought the idea back home.
A few months later, Jesko volunteered for a day for a similar program called the Glass Slipper Project, based in Chicago, to get some additional tips and ideas.
She registered the Fairy Godmothers Inc. name in Pennsylvania, built a room in the Cobra Wire & Cable building to house the prom gear, and has been operating as a non-profit organization providing prom dresses for girls.
“It’s one of those events you should not miss, so that’s why we’re here,” she said.
Jesko and McDonald work all through the prom season collecting dresses and accessories. Starting in January, they send letters to various corporations to solicit donations. This year, David’s Bridal and Alfred Angelo donated a bunch of dresses, and Mary Kay Cosmetics donated makeup.
Fairy Godmothers will hold its Prom Fair on consecutive weekends — April 5-6 and April 12-13 — at the Arsenal Business Center at Bridge and Tacony streets.
The organization also holds a number of events so that girls can drop off gently used prom or bridesmaid gowns.
This year, Jesko and McDonald expect to sell 1,000 dresses.
“I thought it was a great idea, but I thought we wouldn’t get dresses,” McDonald said. “But they just kept coming in.”
Two weeks ago, the women collected more than 300 usable gowns at Starbucks locations in Montgomery County, including the Willow Grove Park mall. They also collected dresses from Neshaminy, Council Rock and Quakertown high schools, and Holy Family University.
Each donated gown has a story behind it.
“We hear stories about the prom gowns, like why they had it, why they want to give it up,” Jesko said. “They say they know the next girl will have a wonderful time.”
Fairy Godmothers Inc. will set up a mini-store inside the Arsenal Business Center location. One room will be designated for gowns, another room will hold shoes, and three will be available as dressing rooms.
The girls who visit the fair just have to meet two criteria: They must be juniors or seniors in high school and present their school ID. Each girl is paired with a volunteer who guides her through the fair.
Representatives from Black Tie Formal Attire, at 1120 Walnut St., and Hair Cuttery will give out 50-percent coupons so that the girls can get their hair done and assist their dates with the cost of tuxedo rentals.
Jesko is still trying to find dry-cleaning sponsors, but she knows Fairy Godmothers has been a success.
“They hug us and tell us they wouldn’t have been able to go to the prom otherwise,” Jesko said. “It’s just a wonderful feeling, knowing that you can give back.” ••
The Fairy Godmothers Inc. Prom Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 5 and April 12, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 6 and April 13, on the third floor of building No. 107 at the Arsenal Business Center, Bridge and Tacony streets. For more information, visit the Web site, www.mypromdress.org
Reporter Elizabeth Stieber can be reached at 215-354-3036 or estieber@phillynews.com