In hot South Texas, the usual dress code typically consists of flip-flops, leggings, jeans, and T-shirts. However, many people long for the opportunity to dress up. Yorktown Chamber Director Tiffany Lemke often heard this sentiment within the community.
'I would always hear the same thing over and over: 'Man, I wish there was something we could dress up for, because around here, you don’t get to dress up very often,'' Lemke shared.
Inspired by a successful fundraiser in Inez, Lemke thought a prom night would be a great idea and presented it to the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce Board. While Bingo and Bunco nights were effective for raising scholarship funds, the board sought something more eye-catching to raise larger amounts for the Yorktown High School Scholarship Fund. This year, they organized both the first Mardi Gras event and the first Prom Night.
Thus Yorktown’s first adult prom night took place at 5D Steakhouse on March 8. Guests enjoyed a delicious meal, featuring pork tenderloin with a raspberry chipotle glaze, green beans, garlic mashed potatoes, Hawaiian rolls, and dessert at the cost of $25 per ticket.
Adult prom nights are becoming a popular trend where people can dine, dance, and have a magical evening with their partners and friends, free from the distractions of children, work calls, and household chores.
Planning began for the prom, where formal attire was optional and tickets were available at the door. The prom king and queen would be chosen based on the creativity of their promposals. Lemke shares the story of Herbert Naranjo’s promposal to his wife, Robin.
“Herbert Naranjo, the prom king, had his daughter make a large sign. When Robin came home from work, he opened the garage door to reveal a big banner that read, ‘Will you go to prom with me?’ He was waiting there with flowers, almost as if he were proposing marriage,” Lemke recounted.
Later, Naranjo reenacted prom night by presenting Robin with a corsage and a boutonniere.
Nick Russell, who provided entertainment that evening, had a sign displayed on his promposal chair. The poem read, “We never got a chance. Some things are meant to be. Now that you are mine, will you go to the prom with me?”
The prom was a success, attracting around 50 attendees and receiving favorable reviews. Learning from this experience, Lemke is already thinking ahead to next year’s prom and implementing several action items, such as coordinating with the local school to promote the adult prom event, adjusting the date to avoid conflicts with other community events, establishing a community voting process for selecting the prom king and queen, exploring sponsorship opportunities to raise more funds for scholarships, and providing a specific date for the upcoming chamber banquet where the student scholarships will be awarded.
In the meantime, it's time to start shopping for the perfect matching prom dress, blazer, and dress boots!
