YMCA Father Daughter Dance to be held Feb. 7
By Kirsten Ballard
Published in News on January 25, 2015 1:50 AM
kballard@newsargus.com
Alando Mitchell loves to dance with his daughters.
He gathers the three of them up and they sway and glide at the same time.
The quartet will show off their skills at the Goldsboro Family YMCA's Father-Daughter Dance Feb. 7.
"It's a special, memorable night," he said.
As the event coordinator, Mitchell says he expects this year's dance to be bigger and better than ever.
"It has grown so much, a lot of people come back," he said.
The 12th annual dance will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the YMCA gymnasium. It is the largest fundraiser for the Warm Hearts Mentoring Program. Mitchell is the director of the program.
It is $20 per couple and $5 per additional daughter. Tickets are limited to the first 200 couples. Tickets are available at the front desk of the Family Y, or by phone at 919-778-8557.
Wardrobe for the event is very mixed. Mitchell says in the past years, fathers have come in anything from dress blues to jeans. However, he says the daughters are always very dressed up.
"It's a chance to really feel special and be the princess she is," he said.
Daughters from age 2 to 24 have shown up for the dance.
The family-oriented, clean music focuses a lot on line-dancing.
"It's really easy for the dads and large groups to do," he said.
If dancing isn't your pace, the event will have games, face painting, a cake walk and door prizes. Local restaurants will cater the events.
Elsa from Disney's "Frozen" will be available to take pictures.
"It more than dancing," Mitchell said. "It's about spending quality time with your daughter."
The money raised helps WARM Hearts take the youths on field trips. In the past, they have gone bowling, to a UNC-Duke football game and ice skating.
The programs offer positive experiences for the children. Mitchell is currently recruiting mentors for the youth still on the waiting list. He is in more need of male mentors, with an estimated 15 boys without mentors.
Mentors spend two hours per week, or three times per month, with their younger partner. The duo spend time engaging in different activities, skills and events. Mitchell says this relationship help build respect and integrity with at-need youth.
"We try to take them to different things they wouldn't be exposed to if they weren't in the program," Mitchell said.