Silver Birch of Kokomo Hosts Inaugural Peach Coronation Ball
Silver Birch of Kokomo resident Jim Knight never had an opportunity to go to his high school prom.
But on Friday afternoon, he was crowned a king.
His smile stretched across his face as he turned to face a round of applause.
At 91, Silver Birch of Kokomo resident Joan Stang had only ever won a hat contest.
But on Friday afternoon, she was crowned a queen.
Tears filled her eyes, and she wiped them away with a hand that clung to her face in disbelief.
It was all part of Silver Birch’s inaugural “Peach Coronation Ball,” which took place inside the assisted living facility’s dining room and included food, live entertainment and an appearance by Miss Howard County Mia Castillo.
Nannette McVeigh, Silver Birch’s life enrichment coordinator, was one of the organizers of Friday’s event.
“Honestly, I was inspired because everybody has been talking about having a peach festival somewhere, whether it was in Indiana or some other state,” McVeigh told the Tribune. “And so it just came to me that we’ve never had a summer ball. So I thought, ‘Why not now?’”
But McVeigh said she knew she wanted more than just a typical party, so she came up with the idea of crowning a king and queen among the facility’s residents.
That king and queen were each voted on by the residents and staff throughout August, and the results were kept secret until Friday’s event, McVeigh added.
“It feels wonderful,” Stang told the Tribune, her crown twinkling under the dining room’s lights. “I didn’t think I had a chance. I wasn’t even thinking about it. And when they said my name, I thought, ‘Me? Are you sure you got the right name?’ I was shocked. But I’m also very blessed to be chosen.”
As part of their king and queen duties, McVeigh said Knight and Stang will represent Silver Birch next month at the Kokomo Rescue Mission’s canned food drive, and there might be other future opportunities as well.
But Friday’s Peach Coronation Ball was about so much more than crowning a king and a queen, partaking in peach pie or listening to music, McVeigh noted.
It was also about getting together for a few minutes of celebration.
“At Silver Birch, we are very focused on quality of life for our residents and staff members,” she said. “We want them to have a long and healthy life. You’re never too old to do something fun. They’re coming together and enjoying each other’s company. I think that’s a big part of quality of life. You’re here. You’re alive. So you should have some fun with it.”
Read the story in the Kokomo Tribune >>
