Hi, Johnnie: What happened to the annual father/daughter dance this year? I just realized I didn’t receive an invitation. In checking at the Rec Center, it seems that they may not be having one this year. It was (in my opinion) well-attended in the past, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. It was funded by ticket sales and volunteers, so I wouldn’t think it was a budget thing. — Hannah’s Disappointed Dad
Dear Hannah’s Dad: It was a budget thing.
I spoke with Barb Nelson, supervisor at the Longmont Recreation Center, which organized the event.
“We have to be 100 percent cost recovered in all of our programs,” she said. Turns out, the fee of $50 per couple was not enough money to cover the expenses of the dance.
Nelson said putting on the dance is not a simple thing. Expenses include venue rental, catering, corsages, staff pay, mailings, tables, chairs, linens and cleaning. And for staff volunteers, the event was a lot of work. “We still have dishes to wash (after the event),” Nelson said.
In its first two years, the event attracted 100 to 110 dads and daughters, Nelson said. Last year, that dropped to about 80.
After the first dance at the recreation center — not a preferable venue, because it doesn’t have a kitchen — the event moved to the senior center and then to Lone Hawk Farm, out on 49th Street.
Nelson said raising prices did not appear to be a good option, because participants already were complaining about the price.
That said, Nelson told me that her staff will consider putting on this event again. “We’ll see what stuff’s going to cost.”
Angela Bergamo waltzes with her father, Scott, at a Purity Ball hosted by LifeBridge Christian Church in 2004. LifeBridge no longer puts on the Purity Ball, but it does host a daddy/daughter dance for little girls. (Times-Cal file photo)
Hannah’s Dad, if Hannah is still a little girl, there is another opportunity in town, up at
LifeBridge Church. It puts on a daddy/daughter dance for girls ages 2 to 5. The next dance will be in the spring.
“It’s a princess theme, with formal dress,” children’s pastor Craig Wilson told me. “There’s a dance and dessert. And there’s no charge.”
Dear Johnnie: After reading your column about confusing road striping, I have a good one for you: There is no way to legally enter the St. Vrain Valley Credit Union off Third Avenue south of Ken Pratt without crossing a double, double yellow line or entering an exit-only driveway.
In calling the branch on Main Street, I was told that the stripes might have been painted before the credit union was on that site. Perhaps you could check this out, as we would like to legally access this credit union. — Gerry
Dear Gerry: You and the employee at the Main Street branch are both correct.
City transportation engineer Bob Ball told me the striping was there before the credit union opened and that it was never changed for left turns in and out of these entrances.
“We are planning to revise the striping this fall,” he said.
While not specifically familiar w/ conditions at this location, I would point out an exception in Colorado’s traffic statutes regarding turning movements and which Longmont’s traffic code mirrors almost completely: CRS 42-4-1005 discusses passing movements and markings for prohibition of same. This article regulates crossing over double yellow lines. Paragraph 42-4-1005 (4) (c) states one several listed lawful exceptions to the mandates of the article, which include “turning left into or from an alley, private road or driveway ,” if that movement can be made safely and without interfering with other traffic.
Just sign me PK