By MADDY VITALE
The Ocean City Parent Teacher Association and the city are partnering to give middle school students a very special Halloween dance at the Sports & Civic Center.
The dance will be held on Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. It will feature a host of prizes donated by local businesses, a costume contest and, of course, a whole lot of dancing to give seventh and eighth graders at the Intermediate School an exciting and very “spooktacular” time.
Suzanne Chew, of Ocean City, has two children in the district, Cove, a fourth grade student, and Kaia, who is in the eighth grade.
Chew coordinated the prize donations and said in an interview Tuesday that the dance will provide a wonderful outlet for the children, along with providing some milestone memories.
“We just wanted to do something positive for the children,” Chew said. “Let’s continue to support our children and come together and show them a fabulous time where they can simply be kids.”
She noted that Intermediate School Principal Michael Mattina and Mayor Jay Gillian were very supportive of the dance.
“I got in touch with Mr. Mattina and the mayor and asked if there was anything we could do for the kids so that they could experience their first dance,” Chew said.
She continued, “The mayor was so happy to oblige. Jocelyn (Palaganas, president of the PTA) got right on board and pulled things together so fast.”
Chew said that in addition to the support of the PTA, Mattina and the mayor, was the work of “a whole group of amazing women.”
The parents held a meeting to go over the specifics and Gillian offered the use of the recently remodeled Sports & Civic Center at Sixth Street and the Boardwalk to hold the dance.
“These things that don’t seem big at all are big,” Chew said. “We have a good group of kids. We want to give them a place to dance and celebrate.”
Among the local businesses that donated to the dance are Johnson’s Popcorn, Heritage Surf Shop, Yes Nails, (Chew’s studio) Yoga Ginger, 7th Street Surf Shop, Ward’s Pastry and Gillian’s 6th Street Pizza. Chew noted that Starbucks and Wawa gift cards will also be presented to prize winners.
Anyone wishing to attend the dance may R.S.V.P. no later than Thursday to ocnjpta1@gmail.com.
