To volunteer or sponsor Senior Prom, email Sarah Bock at sarahabock@gmail.com
Sarah Bock wanted to find a way to show the value of senior citizens to the everyday community. Reflecting on her own relationship with her grandparents, Bock hosted the second annual Senior Citizens’ Prom on Feb. 15 at Forsyth County’s Sexton Hall.
Her grandparents live in Canada, and the distance inspired Bock to put together the dance for an evening of fun. “I wanted to do something fun for the senior citizens and also show that they are still valuable to our community,” said Bock.
The dance brought together senior citizens from various senior homes for a Valentine’s Day- themed party that made for a special evening for the community. Bock, a junior at South Forsyth High School, also enlisted the help of her peers to make this evening a success.
“It was really great to see (Sarah) and the other high school students make this event memorable,” said Julie Gruen, special events team leader for Forsyth County Senior Services. “We host dances similar to this, but Sarah organized the whole thing and got sponsors so the event was free to our seniors, which helps a lot since many live on tight budgets.”
The Valentine’s Day dance featured the Sounds of Sawnee Jazz Band and had over 100 attendees, including the Forsyth County Sheriff and Fire Departments.
The Senior Proms started as Bock’s Girl Scout Gold Award Project, but now she wants it to grow and stand on its own when she leaves for college next year. With the help of volunteers and community support, Bock hopes the Senior Prom dances will be held in various centers and continue inspiring generations and the community to interact and support each other. The next event will be held in May.
As she reflected on the dances and out of the many other causes she could have supported, she shared, “We have a lot we can learn from them, and it’s just fun to hang out with the older generation and hear their stories.”
In other news: The Women Inspiring Strength and Hope Society raised $80,000 at their annual cocktail party, An Evening of Hearts and Wishes, for Make-A-Wish Georgia. The non-profit organization grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
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