On Sunday, April 28th, Meritan will be hosting their first annual Senior Citizen Prom at the Lichterman Nature Center from 4pm-7pm. Meritan, a non-profit agency formerly known as Senior Services, has been serving the Memphis community since 1961 and offers in-home care, residential services for the elderly and disabled, foster care, and an employment program for low-income seniors. They are also a member of the Coordinated Response to Elder Abuse network. As both a celebration and a fundraiser for their services, the proceeds from the Senior Citizen Prom will benefit Meritan’s programs.
The event is an idea that Meritan’s development team has been floating around for a while. As an agency that has worked with seniors for almost 60 years, they have wanted to hold a fundraiser that also aligns with their mission: to improve well-being and promote independence throughout all of life’s stages with quality and compassion. The Senior Citizen Prom aims to do just that.
The theme of the Senior Citizen Prom is “A Red Carpet Affair,” and the event will include valet service and a red carpet leading up to the door of the Nature Center with plenty of opportunities to stop for a photo. Inside, there will be a dance floor, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a photobooth, a caricature artist, a silent auction, drinks, and of course, the crowning of the prom king and queen.
In a twist different than the contest many adults remember from their own high school days, the king and queen will be decided through a fundraising effort. As attendees buy tickets, they will be given the option to set up a fundraising page for themselves on behalf of the agency. Each dollar raised on their king or queen page will count as a vote, and those with the most votes will be named as the Meritan Senior Citizen Prom king and queen.
Meritan is also offering the opportunity for organizations, companies, or individuals to sponsor tables for low-income seniors. Any organization can sponsor tickets for seniors in their own network or let Meritan pass the tickets on to some of the seniors they serve.
The current event sponsors include Cigna Health Spring Insurance, WKNO, and Bingo Bonanza, but there are still sponsorship opportunities available. If you are interested in becoming an event sponsor, please contact Chessie Biggam at chessiebiggam@meritan.org or call 901-766-0600.
Tickets are $50 for one or $80 for two. To buy tickets, visit Meritan.org.
Sponsor: Cigna Health Spring, Apelah Bingo Bonanza, and WKNO