Rose Banquet to be held March 1 at Wayne Center
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on February 20, 2011 1:50 AM
A spaghetti dinner, entertainment, a skit and door prizes will all be part of the 12th annual Rose Banquet March 1 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Wayne Center.
Sponsored by the Wayne Council on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, the banquet is being held to promote abstinence in the prevention of teen pregnancy. It's for youths in grades six through 12.
Council president Carolyn King said comments from participants of past banquets make it a worthwhile event.
"I think it's making a difference in children's lives," she said.
The council encourages young people to choose abstinence until marriage.
"It also helps validate the maybe 40 percent of youths out there who have chosen abstinence," Mrs. King said. "It tells them they are not weird or strange, but that they've made a good choice.
"We want to talk to young people about a choice that's a good one. That's why we keep doing the Rose Banquet. If you're abstinent, you're not going to get a sexually-transmitted disease and you're not going to get pregnant."
The Rose skit is the centerpiece of the banquet. It will be performed by local 4-H'ers under the direction of Summer Young.
"The amazing thing about that is that it's so quiet during the skit that you can hear a pin drop," Mrs. King said. "It's peers educating peers."
The first- and second-place winners in the Health Department's abstinence essay contest will have their entries read during the banquet. New this year will be a testimonial by a young adult who has chosen abstinence.
There will be a spaghetti dinner and dinner music by a local saxophonist.
Other entertainment will be by Project Jump, a local jump rope team, and Dance Troupe.
Ta-Kisha Darden, a health educator, will do a powerpoint program on why abstinence is a good choice from a health standpoint.
Those attending will receive a free pen and other items to take home. There will also be door prizes.
At the end of the banquet, youths will have the opportunity to sign a pledge card, pledging to choose abstinence until marriage.
Council vice president Barbara Byers noted that the banquet is a "springboard for parents to talk to their children about their beliefs and values. Studies show that those children are less likely to go against what their parents believe in."
Tickets are $3 per person. Preregistration and payment are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday by calling 731-1520 or stopping by the Wayne Center.