Sharing Golden Moments

with Sayville Senior Citizens

Senior residents in our community who hold Senior Gold Cards with Sayville School District received a surprise. They were cordially invited to attend the District’s First Annual Senior Citizen Recognition Dinner Dance, which was sponsored by Middle School and High School students, clubs, and service organizations.

The event was a way of sending a heartfelt “thank you” from Sayville School District students, staff, and administrators to the Senior Citizens who have made contributions to our school community. Many of these Senior Citizens have regularly supported and attended student performances, district meetings, and athletic events.

Transforming the “Sayville Café” at the High School, the art and honor society students created the visual ambiance with beautiful decorations, while the talented High School Jazz Ensemble and piano soloist Qxiara Tomasetti added the live music that easily rivaled the choicest restaurants. Students from the Anchor Club, Interact Club, Key Club, Honor Society, and student government comprised the wait staff and stood at polite attention, offering table service with pleasant smiles while the guests ordered their dinners.  Dance music generally suited the seniors’ preferences, but included line dancing music which the students were happy to demonstrate.

Pooling the funds raised entirely through a variety of Middle School and High School events, the students were able to offer the Senior Citizens a “delightful evening” of catered cuisine and dance music provided by a professional D.J.

The Senior Citizens who attended the Dinner Dance not only expressed their enjoyment of the occasion, but were complimentary of the students who made the evening a memorable event:

• “The students are to be commended,” one couple said, “for the time, effort, and work needed to carry out this generous undertaking…The Jazz band was right on!”
• “Thank you so much for a delightful fun evening,” an appreciative diner wrote. “It made every senior in the room feel special. The band was wonderful, the meal excellent, the children were a delight, the teachers, principals, and overall the evening was priceless!”
• “While we’re not surprised,” contributed another couple, “at all the kids [do] accomplish (being parents and grandparents of Sayville School students), we are always amazed at the poise and social graces that the kids never fail to show. The kids were fun!” 
• “The school band did a great job, along with the DJ that supplied the music of our time. The young lady playing the piano was also enjoyable.”  So wrote a couple who also added, “It’s nice to know that we have children in our school district that think of the seniors in our town.”    
• “Everyone enjoyed themselves,” a long-time resident remarked. “The dinner and entertainments were excellent…For many years I have supported the students in person by attending their concerts, plays, and sports events. My husband was a graduate of Sayville …also, my two daughters graduated from Sayville…The students deserved to be recognized for their thoughtfulness towards Senior Citizens. I do hope they continue having these events.”

Thanks to the “spectacular job” that made the First Annual Senior Citizen Recognition Dinner Dance such a success, there will be a second next year. 

Senior Citizens interested in getting on the invitation list should contact Ms. Julie Vaccaro at 244-6515 and become a Gold Card member.