The girls danced in their finest dresses, posed with two “unicorn” ponies and had a ball at the Sixth Annual Father Daughter Dance, hosted by the Father Daughter Dance Committee on Saturday evening.

All proceeds this year benefit the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society, which brought adorable puppies for a puppy show for the girls.

The committee, chaired by Leslie Ballenger this year, managed to turn the cavernous Deep South fairgrounds building into a wonderland of hundreds of twinkling lights, crepe paper streamers and balloons above the dance floor.  

Ballenger said the transformation took weeks of planning, coordination and hard work.  

“This group of volunteers didn’t stop,” she said. “They worked around the clock to get this venue looking beautiful for the girls and coordinated the deliveries from all the vendors. Really, the event would not have happened without them.”  

Her team of volunteers were Tamela LeSuer, DJ Whitman, Denise Briscoe, Mary Ellen Payne, Tami Lewis, Tiann Taylor, Joan Ellis, Claire Timm, Robyn Enright and Eve Rumble.

Tickets were $15 per head, with auction items such as a children’s desk and a huge stuffed dog. The refreshments, soft drinks and auction items were donated by area businesses and private donors.

Fathers twirled their giggling partners around the dance floor that occasionally broke into line dancing. Just when the dancers thought they could catch their breath, they heard the strains of the popular song, “Baby Shark.” Girls from ages 2 to early teens squealed with delight, and the DJ apologized to the dads for playing the ubiquitous pop tune all knew by heart.

Everyone had a ball at the Sixth Annual Father Daughter Dance.