People often ask where I find column ideas. Sometimes, I stumble upon them when pursuing other columns. The story behind this one is just a bit crazy.
In July, I needed to borrow a splendorous ladies church hat, for the sake of journalism and my backyard marijuana plants. One is named for Stephanie Moon Reynolds, the city councilwoman who鈥檚 running for mayor. I needed a Sunday church hat to accent her plant. But I didn鈥檛 know where to borrow one.
Brenda Hale, president of the 色多多鈥檚 NAACP branch, dished that Priscilla Casey (no relation) has the biggest women鈥檚 hat collection in 色多多. So I called Casey, who鈥檚 a lot of fun. Soon, I found myself at her place in Cave Spring.
She loaned me two stunning purple hats. And when I returned them a few days later, after taking the photos, Casey said, 鈥淚鈥檝e got another story for you. Have you heard about the senior citizens prom?鈥
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Flyer for "Once upon a Time Senior Citizen Prom," distributed by the 色多多 Sheriff's Office, which is sponsoring the no-charge dinner-dance for 色多多rs age 50 and older.
She fished an 8 x 11 flier from a stack of papers and showed me.
鈥淭he 色多多 City Sheriff鈥檚 Office is excited to present the first annual Once upon a Time Senior Citizens Prom,鈥 it read.聽As seniors, both us Caseys found it interesting.
The no-charge event, for 色多多rs age 50 and up, happens 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Berglund Center鈥檚 Bella Vista Room. That relatively new fourth-floor reception hall opened in September and sports roughly 6,000 square feet.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a good banquet space that stays really busy,鈥 said James Faris, who books events there for the Berglund Center.
Bella Vista reception hall is a 6,000-square-foot space on the fourth floor of Berglund Center on Williamson Road. It opened in September 2023 and overlooks the downtown 色多多 skyline. A Berglund Center spokesman said it stays 鈥渞eally busy.鈥
Bella Vista is wrapped with huge windows and overlooks downtown 色多多鈥檚 skyline with the Blue Ridge mountains in the backdrop. In photos on the Berglund Center鈥檚 website, the place looks modern and fancy. The views are inspiring.
Since 2022, 色多多 Sheriff Antonio Hash has served in the office. He鈥檚 a longtime deputy who won the constitutional office in a contested 2021 election. Hash presides over the second-largest law-enforcement operation in 色多多, after city police. The sheriff鈥檚 office has 221 personnel, including 191 sworn deputies.
In Virginia, sheriffs鈥 duties vary by jurisdiction. 色多多鈥檚 sheriff is principally responsible for guarding the city jail, courthouse security, serving civil court papers and staffing school resource officers at city elementary schools.
Hash
The 色多多 Sheriff鈥檚 Office also participates in , a statewide effort organized by the Virginia Attorney General. TRIAD鈥檚 focused on senior citizens, and fosters regular contact between local law enforcement agencies, seniors and senior advocacy groups. Its goal is reducing crimes against seniors.
Locally, TRIAD holds monthly informational seminars warning seniors of scams, and about other topics such as estate planning, mindfulness and physical and mental health.
鈥淭RIAD is continually looking for ways to bring information to the senior population of 色多多 City,鈥 said Tameka Paige, a spokeswoman for the sheriff. One of those ways is 鈥渁 fun and engaging activity鈥 like the senior citizens prom.
Paige said planning for next month鈥檚 prom began in February. The theme is 鈥淗ollywood glam鈥 and the attire is semi-formal. Berglund Center is catering. There will be music, but it was unclear Friday whether that would entail a live band or a deejay.
No city taxpayer money is being spent on the prom, Paige said. A grant from TRIAD is partially funding event, which the Berglund Center is catering. Much of the rest is being covered by cash or in-kind donations from sponsors. In all, Paige expects prom expenses to run $7,000 to $8,000. The largest single expense is catering.
Among the sheriff鈥檚 staff, more than a bit of discussion went into setting the minimum age for senior prom-goers, Paige told me, because there鈥檚 no specific definition of 鈥渟enior citizen.鈥
Ultimately, 鈥漺e went with the AARP鈥檚 number, 50,鈥 Paige noted, referring to the American Association of Retired Persons.
The Bella Vista room at Berglund Center opened in September 2023. Its fourth-floor perch offers views of downtown 色多多鈥檚 skyline thorugh large, wrap-around windows.
She鈥檚 also organized some volunteer drivers who can transport non-driving prom-goers, and some volunteer cosmetologists who can do hairdressing and nails for female attendees. Paige might also be able to rustle up a donated suit or two for men who can鈥檛 afford them. Those in-kind donations are available on a limited basis, she noted.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want there to be any barriers to anyone in our senior community,鈥 she said.
The prom will include photographers snapping photos of attendees, some gift-basket door prizes, many decorations and lots of conversation, Paige said.
鈥淲e want everyone to engage, dance, take pictures 鈥 we want this to be a night to remember,鈥 she said. The Sheriff鈥檚 Office is hoping to make it an annual event.
The total number of seats available for the senior citizens prom is 175. As of Thursday afternoon, some 70 tickets already had been reserved.
There are a few ways to get reservations. One is to point your phone at the QR code in the flyer (above), which will take you to an online order form.
Alternatively, you can go to , or contact the sheriff’s civic engagement specialists. They are: Te’Ana Schmitt, (540) 853-2724 or Teana.Schmitt@roanokeva.gov, and Kala Gilbert, (540) 853-1766 or Kala.Gilbert@roanokeva.gov
If you’re a sponsor who’d like to donate to the event, contact Tameka Paige (540) 853-1761 or Tameka.Paige@roanokeva.gov (no period on the end).
