By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
One of the most fun things that high school students participate in is the prom. Usually there is the Junior Prom, and then the Senior Prom, the Grand Slam of dances. Kids remember their prom.
But why should kids be the only ones to have a seriously fun dance where they can dress to the nines and party for awhile?
The Director of the Independence Senior Center, Julie Callahan, has had several people, over the four years she has been director, mention to her that they never had the chance to go to a prom when they were young. Suddenly it clicked in her mind that they ought
to have a prom for all the seniors. A senior prom with a whole different aura.
When she broached the subject to the senior center board, they were all on board, so she told some of the seniors who come to the senior center about it and received a great reaction.
“We formed a prom committee, and together we have done things like thinking of a theme, deciding on colors, picking a DJ and all the things that go with planning a prom,” said Callahan. “We have members with ages from 51 to 96, so we picked a theme that would fit
everyone— Shake, Rattle and Roll through the Decades.”
Callahan said that the cost will be $5 for members, and if they bring a friend who is not a member, that person will pay $10. There will be food–appetizers and desserts, and there will be someone at the prom who will make mocktails for the participants.
Of course, there will be a disco ball.
“I was just online looking for the perfect disco ball,” said Callahan, laughing. “We have to have a disco ball.”
The colors will be all pastel, and the decorations will reflect those colors. All the participants will have their names entered in a drawing, and the court will be chosen from the collected names. Then the group will vote on a king and queen.
“The date will be June 11, during our normal hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” Callahan said.
“We just started the sign-ups, so we only have ten people, but as soon as word gets out, there will be more who want to sign up.”
A handful of dresses were donated to the center for anyone who would like to dress up for the prom. Callahan said usually the men have something they can wear.
The Independence Senior Center is open to anyone in Northern Kentucky who is over 50 years of age. The membership is $15 per calendar year. The center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and they have a hot lunch on Thursday which costs $6.
Callahan said that they have about 270 active members at the center, and there might be 50 to 60 people who attend the center every day that they are open. The ratio of women to men is about 65 percent women to 35 percent men.
The activities at the center include bingo, euchre, line dancing, chair exercises like yoga, and chair volleyball as well as other exercises. They have ping pong, pickleball, and chair massages. Callahan said they have people from the library who come to present programs, and occasionally a person from the Kentucky Senior Medicare Patrol comes to warn people about the latest scams that target seniors in particular.
“We have teachers who come in and organize a craft, or teach painting,” said Callahan. “We also try to get people in the community to come in and call bingo. Mayor Chris Reinersman has been in to call bingo.”
The DJ that they have chosen has asked that the people who sign up for the prom should write down a few requests so he can know what they want to hear, and what they would like to dance to. Since the membership spans four decades, there is liable to be a wide
selection of songs.
“They don’t know it yet, but we plan to give all the ladies a corsage, and all the gentlemen a boutonniere,” said Callahan. “I think this is going to be a fun day, and these people truly deserve fun things to do. All of my people are very special—they are amazing!”