By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
With the evening’s opening song, “It’s Gonna Be a Good Night Tonight,” by the Black-eyed Peas, the 27th annual Father/Daughter Sweetheart Dance, sponsored by the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department, on Feb. 11 was under way.
From approximately 6:15 p.m. that Friday evening, a steady stream of vehicles (the majority of them being pickups of all sizes) turned into the Caribou Recreation and Wellness Center and young ladies, dressed up for a very important date, stepped from their coaches and were escorted inside by their dads, stepdads, granddads, brothers, uncles and friends.
Inside the gymnasium the music was turned up, small feet matched the steps of larger ones; some led, others danced circles around their partner; some forgot about their partner but regardless all 420 guests thoroughly enjoyed the very special evening.
When the song, “Butterfly Kisses,” played, as an observer, tears threatened and heartstrings tightened, remembering the times at this same event quite a few years ago now, when my own daughters excitedly got ready for their special evening with their Dad.
Kudos to all of the “dates” that evening — for attempting to do the “Cha-Cha Slide,” (or not) for making your young ladies laugh — either by saying something funny, just by being a ‘cool dad, or showing off your dance steps. Kudos for wearing a sport coat and tie on a Friday evening, for the corsage on the tiny wrist and the boutonnière in your pocket or for ordering dinner for two before the dance.
We are all aware of how fast time goes by in the course of our busy lives, but it is memories created by both the parent and child on evenings such as this that serve as the threads that keep families close. We realize that, just as butterfly kisses seem to flutter away as the days go by, it is the song “Sunrise, Sunset” that really says it all.
