Helping is quite in fashion

It was 13 years ago when Sammi-Jo Danze first walked down the runway in 19th-century Mexican garb, clutching an identically dressed Josefina doll, at an American Girl Fashion Show.

Danze, 25, of West Deptford, has traded in her life-size doll clothes for glitzy pageant gowns as the reigning Miss New Jersey, United States. But her service to the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey, host of the fund-raiser, continues.

"She's one of those wonderful people we can call on all year long when we need help with anything," said Teddy Thomas, the charity's executive director. "We know if she can fit it in her calendar, she can help us."

The Ronald McDonald House, which provides free or low-cost lodging for families of seriously ill children undergoing medical care, will host its 15th annual American Girl Fashion Shows on Saturday and Sunday at the Tavistock Country Club near Haddonfield.

Girls in attendance are invited to dress as their favorite American Girl dolls and, in addition to the fashion show, will be treated to an ice cream tea party, favors, raffles, and door prizes.

Danze first visited the Ronald McDonald House, near Cooper Hospital in Camden, with her Girl Scout troop as a young teenager. She immediately "fell in love" with the house, which has family-size bedrooms in cheerful, child-friendly themes.

"It's very serious when a family is here or a child is here. But when you walk in, you don't feel that at all," she said. "It's just so light, and everyone is one family."

Danze, who prefers the fire engine-theme room, promoted the Ronald McDonald House in her campaign for Miss New Jersey and has for the last decade helped organize the fashion show, in which young girls dress as their favorite characters from the popular line of historically themed and contemporary dolls and chapter books.

Her responsibilities include auditioning and coaching the models, ages 5 through 12, and the show's commentators, mostly female high school students.

"To see them that day, all dressed up with their doll, is very different" from when the girls tried out, said the West Deptford High and Rutgers-Camden graduate, who owns the Royal Court Dress Shop in Marlton. "You can see that they are more comfortable."

That transformation occurred last year in Paige Lindsay. The 8-year-old from West Deptford will model the outfit worn by the American Girl doll McKenna - a contemporary gymnast from Seattle - this weekend.

Her parents, Terry and Chris Lindsay, encouraged Paige to audition. The experience was a welcome change from her usual soccer games and lacrosse practices.

"It's a fun 'girl' day," said Terry Lindsay, who reads American Girl books with Paige before bedtime. "But there's no makeup" worn by the girls. "It's just who you are, no false anything."

Danze doesn't match the beauty queen stereotype. The poised young woman, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, seems humble and articulate.

Her parents entered her into children's pageants to combat a shyness that now appears undetectable. She channels her onstage skills into mentoring, which she does year-round with girls in West Deptford.

Some of those she has been paired with have been victims of sexual abuse.

"It's just being someone else to talk to [who isn't] a counselor or a therapist or your parent," Danze said. "Even if they don't want to talk about it and they just want to get away for the day, we'll just go have lunch or go shopping or something."

Thomas said she expected 2,000 people, including current guests of the Ronald McDonald House, to attend this weekend's five shows. The facility, which is available to pediatric patients at 10 local hospitals and their families, hopes to raise $35,000.

"Playing with dolls is something you can do when you're not feeling really well," Thomas said. "You can't go out and play soccer and you can't do gymnastics, but you can still play with your doll. It's an important part of your happiness and play."

The 15th annual American Girl Fashion Shows, to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey, will be held this weekend at Tavistock Country Club in Tavistock, near Haddonfield. Tickets cost $35 and are available for three of the weekend's five shows - Saturday at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and Sunday at 4 p.m. To purchase them, call Dorothy Lucca at 856-655-1731.

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