Andrews Our building has a ballroom!” Madison Boehne of the Mountainside Pediatric & Adolescent Clinic on Main Street downtown exclaimed.
That was one reason why Boehne, the clinic’s office manager, decided they should throw a Valentine’s Dance for children and teenagers Saturday.
“We’ve long wanted to invite the community in and hold events here,” Boehne said.
She spearheaded the event, marketing to the Andrews and Cherokee County chambers of commerce, plus putting up posters at local middle and high schools. One of Boehne’s posters caught the attention of a Murphy Middle School seventh-grade friends group.
“We saw a poster up at school and decided we all wanted to come,” Patience Garrett (12) said.
Her girlfriend group put on fancy outfits and excitedly entered the ballroom, which was decorated with sparkly streamers and a disco ball. The clinic hired DJ Marcus Dinkins from Macon, Ga., to play music for the event.
“This is my first time with kids, so it’s a new crowd for me,” Dinkins said.
Because the dance was split into three time frames according to age ranges, he added, “I’ll probably start with some Disney songs for the younger ones.” Dinkins was most looking forward to seeing the children’s smiling faces.
Parents – including the clinic’s medical scribe, Rachael Leslie – were happy to buy tickets for their kids.
“I’m excited to see kids have a chance to socialize in a safe space,” she said.
Many of the kids were so excited to get there they showed up early – and within a half an hour, there was a line out the door to get in. The dance was catered by Homespun Hobbies, and included icing bags and red sparkles for the kids to decorate their own cookies.