This month, the United Way of Greater New Haven organized its fifth annual “senior prom” for senior citizens at Chatham Place at Mary Wade, an assisted living home in New Haven. The event was a chance for residents to reminisce and look forward to all the love they have yet to give.
The seniors at Chatham Place might move a bit differently than they did at their first senior prom. And the dance was at 9:30 in the morning instead of the evening. But so much of this prom feels just the same anyway. The hair done up, the makeup, the dress-up. And, of course, grabbing your partner for the slow dance.
Donna Magrath and Michael McGuire have been together for 47 years.
“It simply means that we can rely on each other," Donna said. "That we have somebody that cares about us, you know I care about him, he cares about me. Is that right, Mike?”
“That’s true!” Mike chimes in.
“Do you care about me?” Donna asks.
“Yes, very much," Mike said.
“Okay!”
This senior prom is more than an opportunity for Donna and Michael to cherish their relationship — it's also a chance to celebrate the community of Chatham Place.
“Well, it isn’t just about love today," Donna said. To me, it is everyone caring about each other and that we’re all together, not just Mike and me by ourselves. It’s a whole group of people that care that you’re here and say hello to Michael. They had a hairdresser come in this morning, early 7:30, and a make-up person come in for the ladies."
The hairdresser is Casey Chmura, the namesake of Casey’s Classic Cuts in Prospect, CT. She got a call from a staff member at Chatham Place asking if she was available.
“When she mentioned that this event was going on, I just said, 'What can I do to help?'" Casey said. "And she said, 'Can you come early in the morning to do the resident’s hair?' And I said, 'Of course I can!'”
Volunteers from the University of New Haven came early on this Friday morning to help. Azam Hastedler accompanied Margaret Lostrido as her date for the morning prom.
“I got a handsome guy over here," Margaret jokes.
“I think love is one of the strongest things in the world, and whether it be friends or family, simple acts of kindness, it really makes the world go round, as cheesy as it sounds," Azam said.
“Love means everything," Margaret said. "It’s the beginning and end-all. Without love you have nothing, you’re empty. And love for everybody, not just guy-girl love, love for everybody. Doesn’t matter who they are or what color or anything. It’s immaterial.”
After five successful iterations of United Way’s “senior prom,” the annual event continues to show that love has no expiration date.
