Buffalo Ridge dads dance with their daughters
By Celeste McNeil; courtesy photos
Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) kicked off February with the annual daddy-daughter dance. The event was held on Friday February 8. Paul Brandt, Before, After School and Summer Enterprise (BASE) program director and his staff organized the event. All daughters attending BRE, from the smallest friends in preschool to the fifth-grade girls preparing to move on to the middle school in the fall, were invited to attend with their dads. A few days before the dance, Brandt delivered carnations and a small gift to all female students, along with a hand-written note from dad (if he submitted one ahead of time). Excitement for the weekend event began to grow and girls felt special taking their long-stemmed flower home.
This year’s Sweethearts and Heroes themed party was enjoyed by 98 daddy-daughter couples. Many of the girls relished the occasion to dress up. Girls and dads appreciated dancing to music provided by a DJ, as well as a craft station, snack bar and photo booth. The colorfully decorated school gym, cafeteria and main hall infused the atmosphere with fun and fancy. A table with several guess-the-number jars was also a favorite. Amazingly, two candy-filled jars were won with exact number guesses.
The reveling kicked up a notch, when near the end of the party, the decorative balloon towers were dismantled, and balloons were handed around. A balloon party quickly ensued. Attendants left with wonderful daddy-daughter and friend memories, photos and a rose. The event was an overall success. Brandt appreciatively said, “I want to say thank you to everyone who came out to support BRE and the BASE program and we look forward to hosting again next year.”
