Prom night
1950s prom recreated for seniors’ residence.
As song after song fills the room with music – and with nostalgia – Jean and Emma Cottreau sit at a table holding hands.
Their love story is still going strong after 48 years of marriage.
Everyday Jean leaves their home in Concession – in the Municipality of Clare, Digby County – to come to the Villa Acadienne in Meteghan to spend time with his wife Emma, who has lived here for two years. On this particular evening, July 18, he later holds her in an embrace as they dance to the song Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.
They’ve danced together many times before, but this time is different. It’s their first prom together. For the couple and everyone else in the room, it’s a throwback to decades ago.
Clare natives Danielle LeBlanc and Briand Melanson, who now live in Toronto, have special ties to this seniors’ long- term care facility. Melanson’s father, Alphonse Melanson, lived here up until the time of his death. In addition to her father-in-law, LeBlanc’s grammy Greta Comeau also resided here before passing away.
LeBlanc says her grammy would sometimes get lonely and Alphonse – who lived his life as a talented musician – couldn’t play music himself anymore. He resided in the Alzheimer’s/ dementia unit of the residence. Alphonse and Grammy – like all residents – were well cared for by the Villa Acadienne staff.
Still, it was hard to see how the years and their health had turned against them.
LeBlanc and Melanson’s lives have always been filled with music. Remembering her visits at Villa Acadienne, LeBlanc felt compelled to bring music back into the lives of seniors living in long-term care facilities, but in a unique way.
With the help of friends – all volunteers – they launched an initiative called Twist and Shout Prom Night, in which they recreate a 1950s prom for the residents of seniors’ long-term care facilities. These are also special occasions for the staff and families.
They’ve held three proms in the Toronto area, but it meant a lot for the couple to bring one of these proms home.
And so on July 18, yellow, purple and white balloons and streamers were hung at the Villa Acadienne. Flowers adorned tables. Corsages were brought in for the residents. Staff and volunteers had raided closets and Frenchy’s in search of dresses and clothing to be worn at the prom. Pictures of poodles were added to women’s skirts as a throwback to the era. Some residents had their hair and nails done by staff. Some of the men were given clean shaves.
The team of volunteers from Toronto that joined LeBlanc and Melanson for the trip to Nova Scotia were aided on the ground in Clare by more local volunteers and many businesses who stepped up to make the evening a special one.
It literally was one giant prom committee, although instead of a yearbook, photos grace social media.
In her room an hour- anda- half before the prom starts, resident Rose Muise is excited. Brought up in Yarmouth, she’s never been to a prom before.
“I went to the St. Ambrose school. They didn’t have one,” she says.
She says it’s “awesome” that people have made this special journey to do this for the residents.
She’s wearing a special outfit. A string of pearls hangs around her neck. A headband adds extra bling. As she’s getting ready for the prom she’s asked what colour lipstick she wants. She doesn’t hesitate with her response: “Bright red!”
As the time draws closer to the start of the prom, the Villa staff is as excited as the residents. When the band – Bamtone and the BeBops – did their soundcheck earlier in the day it really started to sink in.
“We’re all ecstatic,” says Sarah Thompson, the recreation coordinator at Villa Acadienne. “Honestly we feel so honoured and so grateful that they approached us and asked us if they could come here. As soon as we told everybody they thought it was a great idea. We just feel very lucky that this is happening.”
Outside in the hallway are other local volunteers Vickie Porter, Emma D’Eon and Julienne LeBlanc. They’re not just dressed for the part, they’re also wearing big smiles.
“I got in touch with Danielle. I said I would love to help in any way,” explains Porter, who rounded up some other volunteers. “I got in touch with some people who I thought would be enthusiastic about it.”
On this evening, enthusiasm is in huge supply and you need look no further than Joseph O’Toole – one of the volunteers and performers who has travelled from Toronto to be here – for evidence of this. He says LeBlanc and Melanson’s family connection to this seniors’ residence makes this prom especially special. Plus he’s happy to be back on the East Coast since he’s originally from Cape Breton.
“I love to sing, I love to act and I love to dance. They said you’d be a perfect fit for the team,” O’Toole says, explaining how he came to be here aside from the plane ride and a long drive. He’s already participated in three proms with the team in Ontario but is really excited to be in Meteghan. “Being from the East Coast I know how a community likes to support one another, especially when it’s something as uplifting as this.”