Take a Journey Through Christmas Wonderland in Alton Grandpa Gang...
Read MoreSeniors New Year’s Eve Noon Party Remains a Florissant Tradition
Story and photos by Nichole Fetters
More than 300 of Florissant’s finest gathered at the James J. Eagan Center on Dec. 31 to ring in 2018 during the annual City of Florissant Senior Citizen New Year’s Eve Celebration, where the doors open at 10 a.m. and the ball drops at noon!
“Oh, this is great,” said Sheila Mileszko, who moved to Florissant when she was 14 years old, back when Florissant was made mostly farm land. “It’s so beautiful, too. Look at these decorations!”
Mileszko was right. The gymnasium at the James J. Eagan Center had been transformed for this year’s event theme: The City of Florissant Red Carpet Affair. Tables were adorned in red and gold, and cutouts of Old Hollywood celebrities and a photo booth complete with a red carpet and red looped rope really drove the theme home.
What really brought the room alive, however, were the party-goers. The Annual Seniors New Year’s Eve Celebration is a tradition among Florissant Seniors, and these ladies and gents know how to ring in the New Year! Dressed in their best and accessorized with New Year’s top hats or feather headbands, they enjoyed snacking on cheese plates and sipping drinks from little plastic wine glasses.
The overall aesthetic of the celebration is not unlike a good, old fashioned high school gym dance. The mood is cheerful, the music is lively (not to mention, live!), the dance floor is full, and those not dancing are tapping their feet at their tables. This is the party of the year, and everyone there seems to know it!
This year, party-goers were graced with the presence of a new gues–Eddie the Florissant Police Dog. Eddie was a hit in his little top hat, and kindly meandered around the party to pose for photos and wish everyone a Happy New Year. He even took his “mom”, Officer Lori Mahn, for a spin on the dance floor!
This party isn’t all music and dancing, however.
Florissant businesses donate attendance prizes–everything from a television to gift certificates to local businesses– to be raffled off to the guests.
Lovely words of welcome, gratitude, and blessings in the New Year were shared by Senior Coordinator Peggy Hogan, Florissant City Council President Jackie Pagano, and Mayor Tom Schneider. ). Florissant Council Representatives Jeff Caputa, Joe Eagan, Jackie Pagano, Tim Jones, Gerard Henke and Keith Schildroth tended bar
A blessing was sung to the tune of “Edelweiss” before Tornatore’s Catering presented a scrumptious meal of turkey, potatoes, green beans, cranberries, salad, and bread and butter.
The party couldn’t last forever, though, and by two o’clock the band was packing up and seniors were heading for the coat check. They had welcomed in 2018 with flair and it was time to start making every minute of the New Year count. And it was no surprise that some of these fun and feisty seniors were headed home for a nap before going to another party that night to celebrate the official New Year at midnight!
For more information on this event, and several others held throughout the year (trips, dances, clubs, etc.), contact the Florissant Senior Citizen Center at 314-839-7604.