Letter to the Editor: Seniors Give Thanks for First Prom

Thank you to everyone who helped sponsor, organize and operate our first Senior Spring Dance (“In the Mood” Dinner Dance) in celebration of Older American’s Month.  It was wonderful!  The food (Upper Crust catering) was delicious, the music (DJ Kaptain Karaoke) was great and there was lots of dancing, a perfect night out! 

Thank you to all of our sponsors for supporting this event, area seniors, and the Oswego Senior Center.  Thank you to our gold sponsor The Honorable Anne Vickery; our table sponsors, Wells Fargo- Randy Thomas, Wedgewood Manor, Oswego Bank, Cedar Lake Village Senior Living, VCP Home Healthcare, Home Helpers, Law Elder Law, and Joliet Hospice; our food and beverage sponsors, Alden of Waterford, Fresenius Medical Care, and Jennings Terrace Senior Living; and our linen sponsor, Valley Linens. 

It would not have happened without our planning committee thinking about this event since January, Ramona Plock, Reena Maxey, Mary Kingsley, Karen Pleskovich, Billie Mateer, Diane Rafferty, Pat Feeley, Lorraine Schleitwiler, Diane Beukelman (Jennings Terrace Senior Living), Jenet Estrella (Hillside Rehab & Nursing), and Patty Strahan (Senior Services Assoc, Inc). 

Thank you to the kitchen crew you are outstanding, Billie Mateer, Carol Issak, Joyce Logel, Art & Barb Mounts, Barb Weber, Marge Traughber, and Jim Heafer.   Thank you to all the volunteers that provided reception, wait staff, and dance partners, Randy Thomas of Wells Fargo, the Press Family, the Jermolowicz family, Jen & Bill Markham, Pat Feeley, Jami Feeley, Andrew Taggart, Kahlia Griffin,  Debbie & Andy Lane, Gail Gauger of Alden of Waterford.  Thank you to Claudia Wyngard for being our photographer.  Thank you to Anne Vickery for announcing our first King and Queen, congratulations Phil Siedlecki and Karen Anderson.  Thank you to Alden of Waterford for providing a Cubs ticket raffle prize, congratulations to Gary Tollaksen for winning!

Thank you to everyone that helped with the logistics of moving the 30 + tables and 160 chairs and decorating the gym on Friday afternoon.  Thank you to the Opportunity School teachers and students, Bill Eberhart, Jim Heafer, Bernie & John Vlach, the Prom Committee, Gina Tassamo, Jen Markham, Linda Jermolowicz, Bob Wyngard, Melissa Thomas, Bryce Pinnow, and the AU nursing students.  Thank you to everyone that helped with clean-up and reassembling the tables and chairs in the Senior Center dining room, thank you to  the Jermolowicz family, the Lanes, the Press Family, Mary Kingsley, Tony Pastore, and anyone else I  may be missing.

Thank you to our creative people, Yvonne Moore, Bryce Pinnow, Diane Rafferty and Tony Cooper for cutting, sanding and painting the cut-outs for the photo’s.  Thank you to the decorating committee for the great centerpieces and decor ideas.  Thank you to Ramona Plock and our choral group, who sang beautifully.

This event was a success because of the work of many people, thank you to everyone, you are fabulous!

Sandy Pastore, Oswego Senior Center