It was a cold, rainy day in Downtown San Diego, but at the Gary and Mary West Center the smiles and laughs that filled the room emitted warmth that was reminiscent of a warm, sunny day. Upon arriving, I was excited to have the opportunity to put on this senior prom for the guests at the center, that I had met a couple weeks prior. The guests who relied on the center for their daily breakfast and lunch represented a diverse and rich population of San Diego seniors. I looked forward to being able to talk and interact with the various seniors, as they come from all walks of life, and had many incredible stories I enjoyed listening to. Our group was the first to arrive, and being that we had a lot to do, we got started right away. I with the help of a couple of my peers, began filling the goodie bags with the remaining snacks that we had not had a chance to add. After finishing this, I was able to see the St Patrick’s Day themed senior prom starting to take shape. From four leaf clovers to mardi-gras beads, as well as a beautiful green backdrop to the photo booth, it was almost time for the party to start. I noticed that the food was beginning to be plated, and therefore, I grabbed a pair of gloves and jumped in to help the process go more quickly. The food that we provided included pizza, bananas, oranges, cookies, and chocolates along with refreshments. It wasn’t too long later till our party goers started arriving.
We have music playing as people entered, and began to hand out food to the various tables. While doing this, some of us were dancing to liven up the mood, and we were joined by some of the seniors. It wasn’t too much later, that we had the centers choir come up and sing some songs. This was a touching moment as the whole room lit up when hearing their fellow friends and center goers singing in harmony. After this we announced the prom king and queen, as well as awarded Oscars to a various volunteer in the room. This was a great added touch as it helped keep the energy of the party going along with following the prom theme. We then were able to dance for a little bit, and encouraged the seniors to go take photos in the photo booth. Everyone loved the photo booth and the fact that they could take a photo home with them was an added bonus.
The last main event of the party, was the raffle. We raffled off blankets, gift cards, and coffee cups. It was touching to see how everyone celebrated when they came up to collect their prize, and it was easy to see how much each person appreciated. Once this concluded and the party ended, we were able to send each person home with a goodie bag filled with toiletries, and snacks. As I handed these bags out, everyone expressed their gratitude for the event, and were eager to let us know that we are welcome back anytime. Putting on this senior prom was the highlight of my quarter and I look forward to sharing my experience with my friends and family.
We have music playing as people entered, and began to hand out food to the various tables. While doing this, some of us were dancing to liven up the mood, and we were joined by some of the seniors. It wasn’t too much later, that we had the centers choir come up and sing some songs. This was a touching moment as the whole room lit up when hearing their fellow friends and center goers singing in harmony. After this we announced the prom king and queen, as well as awarded Oscars to a various volunteer in the room. This was a great added touch as it helped keep the energy of the party going along with following the prom theme. We then were able to dance for a little bit, and encouraged the seniors to go take photos in the photo booth. Everyone loved the photo booth and the fact that they could take a photo home with them was an added bonus.
The last main event of the party, was the raffle. We raffled off blankets, gift cards, and coffee cups. It was touching to see how everyone celebrated when they came up to collect their prize, and it was easy to see how much each person appreciated. Once this concluded and the party ended, we were able to send each person home with a goodie bag filled with toiletries, and snacks. As I handed these bags out, everyone expressed their gratitude for the event, and were eager to let us know that we are welcome back anytime. Putting on this senior prom was the highlight of my quarter and I look forward to sharing my experience with my friends and family.