Lafourche COA hosts a Senior Prom of a different sort

The time of year has come for men to find that spiffy suit and women to get that special dress.

With hair beautifully done and every last detail of appearance carefully managed, the event seniors have long anticipated – the highlight of their year – has finally come.

It’s Senior Prom of course, but not the one you’re thinking about – the one without the drama.

Thanks to the Lafourche Parish Council on Aging, senior citizens are given the opportunity to have their own special event to remember.

“It’s for anybody that can go. We try 50 years of ages and older,” said Council on Aging Executive Director Charlene Rodriguez. “We had a good turnout.”

Rodriguez said more than 130 seniors attended this year’s prom.

The second-annual event was held at the Lockport American Legion building May 15, and it entertained seniors from all nine local chapters in the parish.

“Because Lafourche Parish is so long, we decided to get them all in one area at the same time,” said Rodriguez. “That way they get to see their old friends and relatives they haven’t seen in a while. They all dance and have fun. Just to sit down and talk to the other people makes their day.”

But would it really be a Senior Prom without a King and Queen?

Of course not.

That’s why each local chapter nominates a man and woman for the court with the winner being drawn from a hat.

This year’s lucky couple – Paul, 77, and Joelle Gerken, 67, of the Larose chapter.

“I don’t know how it was chosen. I said, ‘They must have picked oldest couple in the room,'” Joelle said with a laugh. “But it was really nice. They had a nice lunch for us and good music. Paul and I danced.”

With the effects of polio still evident, Paul doesn’t let the fact that he must dance with a walker stop him from hitting the floor.

“I might be handicapped, but I’m sure not crippled,” he said. “The only thing that keeps me going is moving all the time – never stop. I got a huge back yard and I’m always working in it.”

In fact, Joelle said Paul’s dancing is an inspiration to some.

“Just the fact that he can still do it is still fun. They had a couple people cry when we went dance,” said Joelle. “They always say he’s such an inspiration. He leans on his walker, and I get inside, and we dance. It’s so cute.”

Even though Joelle did some dancing at her Senior Prom in high school, she may have enjoyed this one even more.

“But they didn’t feed us a meal [at high school Senior Prom],” said Joelle. “We enjoy it more. When you get older you enjoy things a little bit more.”

As part of the event, the Council on Aging sponsored a canned food drive with donations going to the Good Samaritan Food Bank, as well as a raffle with half the proceeds going to the American Legion.

“At our age it’s important to give back and take an active role in the community,” said Joelle.

Joelle said even widows and widowers had a great time at this year’s prom.

“There were a lot of single women, but they don’t worry. They get out there and dance,” said Joelle. “There were a lot of line dances.”

In fact, Rodriguez said she would like to make next year’s Senior Prom even more special.

“If anybody is willing to donate prom dresses, I’d like to do a closet next year where the seniors can come in try it on, and I’m willing to loan it to them,” said Rodriguez.