Variety Club hosting Daddy-Daughter Dance for the community
WORCESTER » It’s time to dust off your finest dance moves, shine those shoes and get ready to be your little girl’s best Valentine when Variety Club Camp and Development Center hosts a Daddy-Daughter Sweetheart Dance on Friday, Feb. 16.
Aside from giving dads and their daughters a walk down the red carpet and a fun night out during this special time of year, the organization that has instilled confidence in kids with specials needs through educational and recreational programs and camps for 82 years is hoping to spread a message of inclusion by opening the event to the entire community, noted Variety’s special events director Mary Fuller.
“We’re trying to bring the Variety community and the surrounding community to- gether and do more events for everybody,” Fuller said. “I’m always amazed by how many people don’t know that we’re back here. We have all this space and we’d love for people to come back here and see what we do.”
The dance is not limited to fathers, but can include any significant adult male in a young girl’s life, Fuller explained.
There are no restrictions on age for the girls but it’s expected that they will be in the 5 to 13 or so age range, she added.
“In the Variety population the chronological age isn’t always the typical functioning age,” Fuller noted. “We have a Variety family where the grandfather is bringing the granddaughter and I told them he could bring his daughter, which is the mother, as well to help them, and that is fine with us. We have a price for dad-daughter ($30) and dad and more than one daughter ($35).”
Guests don’t need to be from Worcester, but can also be residents of Skippack, Lansdale, Blue Bell, East Norriton, or anywhere in the surrounding area.
In the Variety Club hall, which will be decked out in heart-shaped glory to celebrate the holiday, music will be provided by a DJ and snacks and beverages will be offered, along with games, crafts and a photo booth to add to the festivities.
“There will be a host of things going on and we’ll have organized dances like the electric slide,” Fuller noted.
The event is not formal, but fathers should dress appropriately with a tie.
Although the Variety Club staff is expecting that girls will want to dress up for the dance, the dress code for them is more relaxed.
“We hesitated to tell girls they needed to wear dresses and skirts,” Fuller said.
Chantilly Floral of Harleysville and Lansdale is donating flowers, affording dads the opportunity to present their special dates with the crowning touch to the evening.
The event marks the first time Variety has included the community, Fuller said.
“Our main goal is to introduce and start incorporating both segments of the population, the Variety community and the surrounding community. A big part of what we do is giving our Variety kids the same experiences that any other kid can have. And we think this is a step in helping to promote that. It’s new for us and we’re excited about it.”
For more information and to sign up for the dance, visit varietyphila.org.