Alisa Bartlett felt beautiful at her prom last May.

Donning a purple dress accented with jewels on top, the now 18-year-old Edmonson County teen danced the night away at her prom for South Warren High School.

Bartlett got her dress thanks to Operation Princess Prom, a free service at Crossland Community Church that gives high school juniors and seniors in all of the Bowling Green-Warren County schools a chance to be pampered before the prom.

“We’re always taking dresses,” said Crossland Executive Personal Assistant Deanna Hale. “We get some every day.”

The dresses are donated by the community, and Crossland organizers take them from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays at their back door at the church at 600 U.S. 31-W By-Pass in Fairview Shopping Center. No bridesmaid, wedding or cocktail dresses are allowed. For more information, call the church at 270-842-4428 or email deanna@crossland.tv.

The girls get to choose their gown and jewelry at the “Say Yes to the Dress” event and get vouchers to get shoes at Michelle’s Consignment Boutique. This year they did it in February. On prom night, the girls have their hair and makeup done by stylists and receive flowers and gift cards to restaurants.

“We just want to help girls feel special and valued like God sees them,” Hale said. “A lot of the girls grew up in refugee camps and never had a dress on. They would hug us.”

“Monica Rector (a church member) came up with the idea,” Hale said. “She and I have been in partnership. We got dresses from the congregation and the community.”

The girls, who are recommended by their youth services centers, work with a stylist, picking out dresses and trying them on, Hale said. The family gets to see the girls after they pick out a dress.

“It’s an experience,” she said.

On prom night, the girls take professional photos, last year done by Ella P. Photography. If they bring their dresses back following the prom, they get a CD of photos, Hale said.

“They can print them off and share them on social media,” she said.

Some of the dresses are brand new while others have been worn only once, Hale said. The dress sizes range from 0 to 26.

“We want to make sure every girl gets a prom dress no matter what size they are,” she said.

The event is also not based on religious beliefs, Hale said.

“We want them to have a dress no matter what religion they are,” she said.

Volunteers, who attend Crossland, are needed to help make the event go smoothly, Hale said. They must be 18 and older.

“Everybody that volunteers loves it. There’s usually a tear shed,” she said. “We’re just really honored to do that for them. There are lots of hugs and it’s lots of fun.”

There are no male volunteers, Hale said.

“There are no guys here, so the girls feel safe when they come here,” she said.

Everyone was “super friendly” at Operation Princess Prom, Bartlett said.

“You have a variety of dresses to choose from whatever size you are. I want to try and show girls that no matter what kind of shape you are in there’s always people who can go out and help you,” she said. “For people who don’t have enough money, you can follow your dreams. You want to be like all the other girls who go to prom. They give you the opportunity to look the same as all the other girls there.”