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With leis on their necks and a sign that read “Welcome to the USS Pine Valley,” residents of Pine Valley retirement community attended a cruise ship themed party that was held by Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and Phi Kappa Psi fraternity on Monday.
“The party this year is a cruise theme, and last year we had a ship-wreck theme,” said Rachael Wilson, philanthropy chair of AOPi.
A live band entertained students and residents, along with singing, dancing and engaging in conversation with others.
“A lot of UA faculty live here, and it is a way for students to give back,” Wilson said. “A lot of their history is here.”
Pine Valley was decorated with candles on the table, a goldfish for the table centerpiece and each resident got a lei and a souvenir cup. Some wore decorative hats and glow in the dark jewelry to create the tropical cruise ship theme.
“There were a lot of connections to the University here, and our old house mom is a resident here as well,” Wilson said.
Angie Cooper, activities director for Pine Valley, joined in with the students as they danced to the “Macarena.”
“There are so many residents that are UA alumni or past faculty that the party is a perfect blend of the youth of today and those of contributed to UA,” she said. “It is a way to say ‘thank you’ for the work that they have done.”
She said it is also important for the residents to see what the youth of today are like and see an exciting, intelligent group on campus today.
“I don’t have any grandchildren, so it was great to be around the young people,” said Betty Chapman, a resident of Pine Valley.
Cooper said the young people asked the older people to dance.
“I got asked twice to dance,” Chapman said. “Although, I don’t dance much, it was still really fun.”
Last year, the theme for the party was, “Ship-Wreck: What were you wearing?”
Cooper said it was so funny to see what the people had on when they came to the party.
“Some people had on robes, curlers in their hair and one man had on binoculars because he said he was whale-watching when the ship wrecked,” she said.
John Ross, president of the Residents’ Council, said he enjoys living at Pine Valley and is great friends with many of the residents there.
“There are a wide range of people and ages that live here,” Ross said. “It is an assuring thing for residents to be able to have someone there in case of emergency.
“The event was a nice change in the life of some of the residents for them to have a little fun, when they otherwise would have been just watching television,” he said.
