August 4th, 2024 — The newly opened Clovis Senior Activity Center is set to host a dazzling event that promises to be the highlight of the year for local seniors. The center, located at 735 3rd Street, boasts a space more than double the size of the former facility. With a generous $1 million donation from the Smittcamp Family Foundation, the center now includes a 300-person banquet hall, enrichment classrooms, billiards, and a gym, offering a multitude of opportunities for Clovis seniors to stay active and engaged.
The centerpiece of this summer’s social calendar is the first Senior Prom to be held in the new facility on August 17th, Saturday from 5 PM to 9 PM. With a glamorous Great Gatsby theme, the event is set to transport attendees back to the Roaring Twenties. Moniqua Randolph, who has been helping guide and direct the daily operations at the senior center for nearly 13 years, shared her excitement about the event: “I wanted something a little bit different, a little spark, to show folks that this is what the senior prom is all about.”
Randolph emphasized the importance of making this first prom at the new center a memorable one. “We just want to do a little extra than we normally do,” she said. To that end, Xpress Yourself Decor will be transforming the banquet hall with two truckloads of velvet furniture and creating a speakeasy atmosphere.
The prom, scheduled to accommodate up to 225 attendees, is set to offer a delightful evening with live entertainment, a photo booth, and a four-course meal catered by Classic Catering. The menu includes a salad, artichoke spinach dip, sliders, chicken Alfredo, and a dessert. Randolph explained, “We also have an open bar for them that’s included into their prices, beer, wine and mimosas.”
For many seniors, this prom is more than just a dance; it’s an opportunity to relive cherished memories and create new ones. “It’s more of a social aspect of it,” Randolph noted. “Now that we’re in a bigger building, folks are now meeting other people in their classes that they’re taking.” She shared a personal story about her mother, who initially resisted joining the center but has now found a new community through the classes offered.
Tickets for the event are priced at $20 for singles and $35 for couples. The center hopes to see at least 150 attendees, with 120 tickets already sold. “We definitely want to make sure they get their money’s worth,” Randolph said, highlighting the meticulous planning and generous support from sponsors like Clovis Kiwanis, who are covering the bar costs.
The prom has garnered support from a wide range of sponsors committed to enriching the lives of seniors. These sponsors include Kaiser Permanente – Senior Advantage, Alignment Medicare Health Plan, Summerfield of Fresno, Home Instead, Assured Senior Living Solutions, Oyuna Hospice, Senior Scrip, VONS (Fowler & Herndon), 4 EVER CARE “CAREGIVER AGENCY,” and Old Town Clovis Kiwanis. Their contributions have been vital in making this event possible.
One unique aspect of the prom is the effort to recreate the high school prom experience. “You dress up — get together with your friends and get ready, you just come suited and booted for just a good time,” Randolph said. The event will also feature traditional prom elements such as a prom king and queen and party favors, including handheld feather fans for the ladies and golfer caps for the gentlemen.
The Clovis Senior Activity Center continues its mission to provide activities and services that help seniors maintain a fulfilling and active lifestyle. Randolph expressed her pride in the center’s community impact: “In all reality, this place is like a high school for older adults… This place is a second home to a lot of people.”
For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact the Clovis Senior Activity Center at 559-324-2750. The center is also seeking additional sponsorships to help cover event costs. As Randolph aptly put it, “Any chance we get that we can provide some type of extra to the event, it brightens up their day, their night or evening.”
This first Senior Prom at the Clovis Senior Activity Center: A Smittcamp Family Legacy is poised to be a night of joy, laughter, and nostalgia, ensuring that every attendee leaves with memories to treasure for years to come.