Published: May 09, 2008 10:54 pm            

CITY OF TONAWANDA: Seniors dance the night away

Growing up just outside of Toronto, Margaret Ross never went to prom. Ross was living it up Friday night at the Senior Citizens’ Prom, put on by the Student Leadership class at Tonawanda High School.

She hit the dance floor with her date, George Lane — the two met at Crestwood Commons, an assisted-living facility in Wheatfield — for just about every other song performed by Frank Lorango and the Sugar and Jazz Orchestra, whose big band era set list kept everyone’s toes tapping.

“To get older people out, it’s a wonderful idea,” Ross said while taking a break. “When I told my kids that I was going to a senior prom, my youngest daughter wanted to inspect what I was going to wear. She wanted to make sure I wasn’t wearing high heels.”

Lane has been coming to the senior citizens’ prom for several years.

“It’s a nice thing they’ve got going here, and you see all your old friends,” he said.

The Student Leadership class organizes the event, which is held in the high school gym and is free for senior citizens, as a way to give back to those who have supported the district over the years.

“They have a chance to come out and meet their friends and have a good time,” said Tonawanda High School senior Jessica Stuart. “Every year they look forward to it. When it’s May, they know the senior citizen prom’s coming up.”

The dance drew approximately 100 people.

“I’m just amazed. I didn’t expect to see this many people here,” said Mary Beth Scullion, Tonawanda’s interim high school principal.

City of Tonawanda residents Lyle and Ronni Tooke have been coming to the event for the past seven years and have always had a great time.

“It’s our kind of music, and it’s always a good time,” Ronni said. “The kids are terrific. It re-affirms the positive image of the teens.”

Lyle and Ronni joined their friends and relatives from across the canal for the dance, and even played their usual Friday night card game Thursday night so they could go to the prom.

“I had a difficult time today trying to find a prom dress,” said Lois Tooke, who was attending with her date, Harry Madrid. “They’re all really low cut,” she said of the dresses she looked at. “That’s really low cut in our case,” Ronni Tooke added.

The Sugar and Jazz Orchestra opened the evening with “Moonlight Serenade,” and couples slowly began filling up the dance floor while Student Leadership class members served food and drinks and sold raffle tickets.

One of the highlights of the evening for some of the ladies was the chance to dance with one of the high school boys by donating money for cancer research.

As the Tookes and their guests talked about how much fun they have each year at the dance, Dale Neumann of North Tonawanda said, “You can even buy a boy if you want,” which got some of the gals at the table smiling.

“Do you think he’d do some yard work?” Ronni Tooke asked.

Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.

        

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