Food, Music, "Hairspray" at PTA Founder's Day Dinner

There’s jazz music in the background and tray after tray of donated homemade food. It’s more than just a party. It’s the Nanuet PTA Annual Founder’s Day Dinner held to honor the senior citizens in the community and to award life membership awards within the PTAs. The company, friends and family was the big ticket item last night at the Barr Middle School cafeteria; the food and music was just a bonus.

“It’s beautiful. The food is great and everyone’s so nice,” said Virginia Shaw from the Nanuet II club. “We usually support them because our (senior club) believes we should support the PTA groups. It’s good for our children. It’s always a pleasure to come to their affairs.”

PTA President Christine Camillieri was the main organizer for this event.

“I think the night was a wonderful collaboration of effort within the school community,” she said. “The senior citizens that attended seemed to truly enjoy the decorations, food and entertainment. They were so appreciative which made us all feel good about this annual Founder's Day event. They loved the student helpers”

These student helpers were kids from elementary to high school that volunteered to help the senior citizens with whatever they needed last night.

Teddy Von Zwehl, 72, was all smiles even though he was the lone dancer among the seniors out on the open space in the cafeteria. However, later on, Barr PTA President Monica Nicolucci joined in for awhile to dance with Zwehl.

“I love just meeting people, eating the food, dancing and singing,” he said. One of his favorite songs to dance to is Rock Around the Clock.

There were members from several senior clubs: Nanuet I and II, Monterey Gardens of Bardonia, St. Anthony and West Nyack I, which is the largest in Clarkstown with 240 members.

The night began with a Sing-a-long led by Michael Minard and a musical interlude by the Nanuet HS Jazz Band led by Walter Miller. Later,  three numbers from the upcoming NHS spring musical “Hairspray” was performed as a sneak peek for the seniors. Check out this for their sneak peek performance.

Jack Gremli invited all the seniors to a special private dress rehearsal performance just for seniors at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 9 at the Nanuet High School auditorium. There will also be free refreshments that night from the Nanuet Parents Music Association

“It’s the hottest ticket in town,” said Gremli. “Sure to be a sellout.”

During the Candle Lighting Ceremony, Nanuet community members were honored. Three candles represented the Past, Present and Future generation of those that went through the Nanuet schools:

• Past: Gloria Morina
• Present: Susan Ellingwood
• Future: William and Katie Ellingwood

Due to a family sickness, other family representatives lit the candles for the Elllingwoods: Gloria Morina and her sister Millie Rodish.

Here are the Life Membership Awards given out last night:

• PTA Council: Marianne Flanagan
• High School PTSA: Michelle Mosner
• Barr PTA: Jennifer Ryan
• Elementary PTA: Tony Pinciaro

“It’s really an honor and a pleasure to extend a welcome to the senior citizens,” said Nanuet School Superintendent Mark McNeill. “You do hold a very important place in the Nanuet School community, I do want to recognize them (the PTAs)  and thank them for their partnerships for their leadership for so many successful programs that they run from kindergarten to 12th grade and for just giving so freely of their time. It’s time away from their own families.”

Here are a few programs that the PTAs bring into the Nanuet schools:

• Cultural arts
• Book fairs
• Bring in authors
• Enrichment programs
• Halloween Happenings
• Substance abuse and bullying programs
• Moving up ceremonies
• Graduation senior breakfast