Paper hearts and string lights festooned the North Central Florida YMCA’s basketball gym Friday evening for the organization’s Second Chance Valentine’s Day Prom.
John Bonacci, the CEO of North Central Florida YMCA in Gainesville, came up with the event to give residents who missed or wanted to redo their prom experiences a chance to attend another one.
“We have the basketball gym here, so it just kind of fit the prom description,” he said.
The night included a disc jockey, a three-course catered meal, flower arrangements and carriage rides pulled by a 20-year-old horse named Ulysses. Each of the 20 guests was dubbed prom king and queen upon entering.
For those who did not attend prom in high school, the event was a way to experience it for the first time.
Allison Matineau, a 20-year-old patient care assistant at UF Health Shands Hospital, said she was unable to attend prom because she was home-schooled.
“I think (events like this) should happen more often,” she said. “This is something I always wanted to do, and a lot of people don’t get a second opportunity to go to prom.”
For others, the event was a way to relive their first prom experiences.
Samantha Cordero, a 20-year-old Santa Fe education sophomore, and Alisha Moriceau, a 21-year-old UF psychology junior, attended the event as a do-over.
The couple dated in high school but didn’t attend prom officially together, Moriceau said.
“I wanted to do it over and actually give her a corsage, so it kind of worked out,” she said.
DawnMarie Morton, a 42-year-old YMCA wellness department employee, said the event benefits the community as well as the participants.
“If it helps the ‘Y’ and it helps the community I’m all for it,” she said. “Plus you get to party, dance and look pretty.”
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 2/17/2014 under the headline "YMCA hosts second-chance dance for people to attend prom"]
