‘Feel like princesses all day’: Butterfly Dreams pageant rewarding experience for participants
Posted 10/1/16
By Madeleine Sutherland Record Staff Writer When it came time to crown the queens of the Missouri Butterfly Dreams pageant, contestant Emily Greene was nervous, but not scared. Her nerves were …
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‘Feel like princesses all day’: Butterfly Dreams pageant rewarding experience for participants
Posted
By Madeleine SutherlandRecord Staff WriterWhen it came time to crown the queens of the Missouri Butterfly Dreams pageant, contestant Emily Greene was nervous, but not scared.Her nerves were rewarded, however, when she was named queen of the pageant’s Miss division.“Getting crowned the queen was my favorite part,” Greene said. “It was just really fun, and I just really loved it.”It was a rewarding experience for Greene and other local residents who attended.Butterfly Dreams, created by Syndi Sills, is an organization that puts on pageants for people of differing abilities with the aim of teaching life skills and building pride in a nurturing environment.Sills started Butterfly Dreams to honor the memory of her younger brother Paul, who had Down syndrome.“She’s trying to make this a nationwide organization, and every year she goes to a different state,” said Jami Washburn, Warren County Sheltered Workshop administrative assistant.In early fall, Washburn sent out fliers to notify employees at the workshop about the pageant held Nov. 14 at DeSmet High School in Creve Coeur. Four employees — Emily Greene, Catherine Seymour, Sara Lewis and Kevin Kitchell — chose to participate.Washburn said Seymour had participated in the pageant the year before and was eager to do it again.“A year ago, I think there were a few pageants across the state for people with disabilities, and Cathy had a friend who was in them,” Washburn said. “She was just dying to do it, so we checked into it.”This year, Seymour participated in the Senior Miss division, while Greene and Lewis participated in the Miss division. Kitchell served as an escort for contestants in the Senior Miss division.Seymour, Greene and Lewis were dolled up in a full face of makeup and had their hair done by professional stylists before the pageant began. They were also decked out in lavish pageant dresses, which were donated to Butterfly Dreams, and were provided with food during the day.Thanks to the donations and sponsorships Butterfly Dreams collected throughout the year, each person was able to participate at no cost. Butterfly Dreams also provided a pal for each contestant, so that no one was ever alone during the events of the day.“They just feel like princesses all day,” Washburn said.A panel of four judges determined the winners of the pageant. They scored each contestant on her presentation on stage, an optional talent portion and an interview completed before the onstage portion. Contestants also performed a group dance, which they had been practicing at home in the days leading up to the event.For her talent, Greene jump roped to a country song, and Seymour wrote a poem, which her pal read in front of the audience. Some participants did father-daughter dances onstage.After each division had competed, crowns were given out. One queen from each division was named. Each contestant received a crown, a sash, flowers, a doll, a “goody bag,” and a T-shirt. Those who did not win queen of their division were dubbed princesses.Seymour joined Greene in being selected queen as she was crowned in the Senior Miss division.Lewis said the best part of the pageant was her mother being there.“She got me flowers, too,” Lewis said.Washburn said the pageant was an emotional time for her, too.“There’s not a dry eye in the place when you are done,” Washburn said. “They feel so special. They wanted to win so badly, and a lot of time, they don’t get that. It’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but for those that it is, it’s just cool.”Opportunities did not end for participants after the pageant, however. Butterfly Dreams organized events across the state to help raise awareness and funding to keep the pageants going.“There are also lots of photo opportunities throughout the year. Our participants were able to be in the St. Louis Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Washburn said. “They can get out in the community and get more involved.”During the Thanksgiving parade, contestants who attended were carried in royal fashion – in a Cinderella-like, horse drawn carriage.Participants also had the chance to go to West County Mall to sit with Santa and speak at Boeing to get support for upcoming pageants. This spring, Butterfly Dream participants will attend a River City Rascals baseball game and throw out the first pitch.“I’m sure we will have people participating in it next year,” Washburn said.“There is nothing else like it.”
Pictured are three employees from Warren County Sheltered Workshop who competed in the Butterfly Dreams pageant. Local contestants were Catherine Seymour (top left), Emily Greene (top right) and Sara Lewis (bottom left). They are pictured with a pal who assisted them throughout the pageant. A fourth employee, Kevin Kitchell (bottom right), served as an escort.
