Save The Last Dance For Seniors

May 10, 2011 - PRLog -- On the 2nd Thursday of each month, older couples come “dressed to the nines” to enjoy dancing to live big-band music provided by Swing Masters at Senior Services’ spacious Coover room!  Light refreshments are served during the very few breaks taken by the band players.  Dancers come from as far away as Indiana, and as you step into the dimly lit ballroom, you feel as if you’ve traveled back in time to the hey-days of World War II.  “It keeps us fit and out of the hospital,” explains Huan Le, a former Upjohn executive.  Huan and his wife, Thuc Tran have been attending the dances for years.

Since 1999, in memory of his wife Ann Thoms, a long-time staff member at Senior Services, Phil Thoms has donated $11,000 per year to cover the expenses incurred in hosting the monthly dances at Senior Services’ Coover Room.  But, alas, Phil is no longer able to fund the dances enjoyed by about 50 couples each month.  Senior Services’ Customer Service Manager, Lisa Fuller says “we really don’t want to see the Coover dances end.  They provide a social outlet which improves both physical and mental health of the couples who come.”  One option is to charge for the staff time and refreshments served each month.  “We haven’t wanted to charge because most of these dancers are on fixed income,” Lisa explains, “we were hoping that the community would come together and help to continue Phil Thoms’ legacy.”

On Thursday, May 12, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, about 100 dancers will come in their finest, once again, for what may be the last dance.  Unless, that is, generous donors take on their cause or the dancers themselves step up to the plate and pay their way.

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For 50 years, Senior Services, Inc. has been helping older adults and those with disabilities stay as independent as possible with dignity by providing in-home care, Meals-On-Wheels, home repair, volunteer opportunities, medication management, information and referrals.