Princess Parties mix magic and philanthropy

Learn about a local and magical group that is helping children in need smile.

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Once upon a time there was a fairy godmother named Paulette Thomas. She worked with wonderful princes and princesses whose favorite activity was to visit children and bring smiles to all of their sweet faces.

OK, so maybe that is a simplified version of what is behind the company Paulette’s Princess Parties, but the essence is true.

Paulette doesn’t consider herself a business person. She danced with BalletMet in Columbus for 12 years and has been teaching at Dance Extension in Dublin for 30 years. She loves to sew and has created dozens of costumes for classes and performances. Parents began to ask if she would host children’s birthday parties with dancers and performers, and that is how her company began.

About with breast cancer got in the way, but Paulette established her business in 2015, exactly seven years to the day after her cancer diagnosis. Now she is 10 years cancer free and, as a survivor, has a soft spot for others battling illness.

Volunteering is a key component for Paulette and the 22 teens and young adults who work in her company. They spend a significant amount of time at the Ronald McDonald House (RMHC) in Columbus, visiting with sick children going through treatment and their families.

“I feel like we can really reach these kids and their siblings,” says Paulette. “I also talk to a lot of children with cancer about their treatment steps.”

Olivia Poling, an 18-year-old Dublin resident, has been working as a princess for four years.

“It’s the perfect job for me because it combines singing, dancing, children and working on weekends,” says Olivia.

She loves going to the Princess Room at RMHC and bringing an enchanting experience to kids who may not have the opportunity to visit places like Walt Disney World.

“We read books, sing songs, and do princess training like learning to curtsy and using our manners,” says Olivia. “Then we sit and eat cupcakes together!”

Olivia enjoys getting to know her “royal subjects” and helping them to open up. She remembers one little six-year-old named Elena at RMHC that was so thin and pale that she looked more like a four-year-old. Elena was from Macedonia and hardly spoke any English, but she danced around in princess dresses and showed Olivia her colostomy bag. Every time Olivia and the princesses visited, Elena showed more improvement.

“Following up with Elena one year later, I was excited to hear that she was thriving. She was attending school in Hilliard and no longer had a colostomy bag,” says Olivia.

Although every encounter with children is significant and amazing, not every situation has a happy ending. Paulette receives numerous requests from families whose children are in home hospice care. One little girl wanted a visit from Elsa and Anna, the princesses from Frozen.

Olivia and her friend, Joelle Odoguardi, dressed in costume and joined Paulette in the visit. The child’s bed was in the living room and she couldn’t participate much, but enjoyed listening to the princess songs and stories.

“We felt overwhelmed doing so little but we held her hand and tried to make her feel special,” says Olivia.

The girl was as happy and vibrant as she could manage that evening, but passed away two weeks later. When the parents held a celebration of life gathering, Paulette brought princesses, pirates and all kinds of characters to visit with the guests.

Jessica Blake is a freshman at the University of Missouri and has worked with Paulette since 2016. Her favorite part of being a princess is volunteering and giving back, especially to RMHC and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, which holds special meaning to her.

Four years ago Jessica was hospitalized for surgery on a brain tumor that was causing seizures. Fast forward a few years and she was allowed to visit the hospital as Rapunzel. She met a girl named Hailey who was being treated for seizures due to epilepsy and visited with some of the same doctors who treated her in 2014. Now, both girls are doing great and are seizure free!

“I love being part of the magic,” says Jessica. “Listening to children talk about their dreams and helping to inspire them is very powerful.”

Outside of volunteering, Paulette’s Princess Parties can be hired for large or small events including birthdays, tuck-ins at bedtime or rise-and-shine breakfast partners. Mrs. Claus can even bake cookies with your children, read stories and help them wrap presents. All of Paulette’s employees are specially trained to always be kind, stay in character and treat everyone with respect. Besides royalty, Paulette also has 60 other characters for hire such as Disney’s Descendants, Dublin Fairies, pirates, Dickens-inspired holiday carolers and superheroes. Her signature character is Princess Hope, who is always free to visit the sick and those in need of a smile.

On Jan. 27, Paulette is hosting the Enchanted Princess Ball of Columbus at the Exchange in Dublin. There will be singing, acting, dancing and a grand coronation for all. Don’t miss Snowy White’s Wishing Well, where all donations received will go toward Make a Wish, the Feel Better Foundation and RMHC.

For more information go to www.paulettesprincessparties.com or Enchanted Princess Ball of Columbus on Facebook.

Colleen D’Angelo is a freelance writer who lives in Dublin with her husband, three children, and several small animals. She enjoys playing tennis, walking the Dublin bike paths and traveling.