Dads & daughters - Valentine Dance provides special memories for special couples

Published 3:50 pm Thursday, April 30, 2009

By Brenda Sexton, The Courier-Herald

Greg Schipper remembers holding daughter Adrianna in his arms and swinging her around the dance floor during the Enumclaw Parks and Recreation Department's first Father/Daughter Valentine Dance. Now "Bugs," as she's known to friends and family, an Enumclaw Middle School eighth-grader, is 5-foot-9 and looks dad nearly in the eye when they twirl across the dance floor.

"We have a lot of fun," Greg said. "It's all about making memories because they grow up so fast."

"We get to dress up, hang out with my friends, dance and I get to hang out with dad - that's the best thing," Bugs said.

Ben and Megan Cleveland are another father-daughter couple who have made the Valentine Dance every year since its inception. They can flip through a sequence of photographs - beginning when Megan was little to now as an Enumclaw High School junior - and marvel at how fast time has flown.

"To think back 11 years, it's gone by so quick," Ben said.

This is the 11th year for the Father/Daughter Valentine Dance, which started at Southwood Elementary and later found a home at Pete's Pool Fieldhouse. As the numbers grew the dance was moved to the high school commons. Saturday night was the first year it took place at Thunder Mountain Middle School.

City of Enumclaw Recreation Coordinator Michelle Larson said it's become a tradition in the community and one of the city's most popular events.

"Each year, the numbers grow. The past two years, we have sold out," she said.

To accommodate all the couples, parks provides two sessions, 5 to 7 p.m. and 8 to 10 p.m. There are approximately 130 tickets for each session. Each ticket includes a father and however many daughters he brings. There are more than 300 people at each session.

The package includes admission to the dance, a flower for each daughter, a professional photograph of the couple and light refreshments. Door prizes are also drawn. If tickets are purchased by a certain date (this year it was Jan. 29) the pair are entered into a grand prize drawing for a free limousine ride to and from the dance. One winner from each session is selected.

Megan and Ben Cleveland were the limo winners one year.

"I have been involved in a lot of events, and even though this is a simple event, it is by far one of the cutest," Larson said. "We have daughters who range from 6 months old to adults who bring their fathers."

There is no age limit.

"I really enjoy going. We don't spend as much time as we should together," said Megan Cleveland of her and her dad's annual outing. She said she and her dad often go golfing and spend time together, but the dance is an opportunity to dress up, go out and spend time with friends. "It sounds like a little kid type thing, but I think when you're older it's more important to bond with your dad."

"It's the only time you'll ever see dads dance," Ben Cleveland said. "They dance more there with their daughters than they ever do with their spouses. But everybody's hanging out with their dad. It wouldn't be cool to take dad to the prom or even have him chaperone."

Kelsy DeMeerleer and her dad Byron have been regulars nearly since the beginning, too. A junior at EHS, she plans to keep the tradition going strong.

"We start discussing plans in January," Kelsy said. "It's always a 'for sure' thing. It's something to do with my dad that's really fun. I like to hang out with my dad."

"I can't ask for better," Byron said. "She's kind and nice and the perfect daughter. She's a great, great daughter."

For many the evening includes dinner before the dance. For Greg and Bugs Schipper it's "date" night.

Bugs said her mom helps her get ready for the evening. Dad gets ready and then goes outside and knocks on the door to pick her up. He's not allowed to see her until that time. Mom takes pictures of them. Then Greg escorts Bugs to the car and opens her door. At dinner, he opens doors for her and pulls out her chair.

"And I tell her," Greg said. "When we decide it's time for her to date, I expect her dates to treat her the same way. Otherwise they're not worthy of her."

"He gives me the speech, 'this is the way my date should act.' Every year he gives that speech," Bugs said.

Ben Cleveland also thinks it's important to set a dating tone.

"You don't get that opportunity to take your daughter on a date," and show her what her expectations should be, he said. "You get to lead by example."

Ben wishes the Valentine dance had started earlier so he could have spent the time with his older daughter, too.

Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald