‘Let’s do a prom’

The community came together to make Prom 2024 at the Mount Holly Rehabilitation and Nursing Center a night to remember.

At the helm – Jeanne O’Sullivan, specialty director at the center, and Vicky Olson, founder of Sonshine & Smiles, an organization that “provides smiles to seniors one holiday at a time in local area nursing homes.”

“For three years, Lauren Pote, my administrator kept saying to me, ‘let’s do a prom,'” O’Sullivan explained. “I hesitated because I knew it would be a big undertaking, but being that I have a wonderful friend that enjoys doing so much for our seniors I immediately called Vicky [Olson] and said, ‘Well this is what Lauren would like to do, what do you think?’…”

Olson replied, ‘Let’s do it.” And that was that. They immediately started brainstorming colors and themes.

As founder of Sonshine & Smiles, previously based in Berlin, now in Shamong, Olson reached out to local communities asking for donations. The response they received was “overwhelming.”

“We created an Amazon wish list so that people could donate items that were needed online,” she said. “Many others who have connections in the senior realm also reached out. 

“Everything kind of snowballed from there until the day of the prom.”

Fairy Godmother’s Boutique in Gloucester City loaned out dresses and men’s jackets and pants along with shoes and jewelry.

“One Saturday morning she brought over 100 dresses to the nursing home and all the ladies and gents got to choose their favorite outfits,” Olson said. “Many of the women also borrowed earrings.

“This was probably one of the biggest portions that we were worried about because how could we provide dresses, and the Fairy Godmother Michelle [Ferry] really came through for us.”

Volunteers and helpers came from an ask on the Sonshine and Smiles Facebook page. The only requirement – “if you wanted to help, you had to dress up.” Some of the volunteers included Olson’s two children, Charlotte and Emily, and Haley Kao, who volunteers with Sonshine on a regular basis, brought three friends from high school.

Dan Atki volunteered to take photos and his wife Lunda Zuktski also helped with decorating and serving in the evening. Mindy Janson from Mindy’s Den also came along in the evening to help out.

“Many of these seniors never had a prom so for them this was definitely a first,” Olson said.

And in true prom fashion, some of the senior couples came together for promposals and some of the seniors even wanted to match their outfits.

Jewelry was donated from various free pages on Facebook and local friends who wished to donate. Volunteer Tabitha Stapleton made and donated boutonnieres and corsages.

Food was provided by the Mount Holly Rehabilitation kitchen staff. On the menu: chicken parm, ziti, salmon, rolls and salad. There were desserts galore donated by a number of organizations including Ascend, BC Chocolates, Samaritan and Amedysis. Volunteers also brought desserts.

Prom goers also were able to sip champagne – with doctor’s permission – during a toast.

A Prom King and Queen – Terrell and Wanda – were voted by the residents in the middle of the evening.

Decorating at the facility started at 11 a.m. with decorations that were donated. Jamie Streetz Anderson, owner of Central HIIT Gym in Marlton and two volunteers spent the morning putting together a balloon arch for their photo booth area.

Each resident walked the red carpet, before striking a pose in the photo booth.

Volunteers also did hair, nails and make up for those attending prom. Make up was donated by The Make Up Show in New York City.

Entertainment was provided by Marcus Chaney and Lindsay McKay from Night & Day Entertainment LLC.

There were door prizes. Each resident received a favor bag with a star key chain, diamond pen and Prom 2024 bracelet.

“It was an amazing event, with dancing, singing and many, many smiling faces,” Olson said.

O’Sullivan said the night was “the most magical night I could ever imagine.”

And for Olson and O’Sullivan, Senior Prom 2024 was a first for them as well.

“… Neither one of us went to prom so it was just as exciting for us to take part,” O’Sullivan said.