Twenty-one years ago, a group of freshmen girls proved that anything is possible with the right intuition and dedication. After attending a Special Olympics bike meet, they decided that the college should have an event of its own for the special needs people of New Hampshire. And thus, the Valentine’s Day dance was born.

The Meelia Center is now undergoing preparations for the event, which will be held on February 16 from 1-4 pm in Upper Cushing. Special needs guests from a wide range of ages, usually from middle school to adulthood, enjoy attending the dance.

Daniel Forbes, Director of the Meelia Center, elaborated on its popularity: “Many guests come every year, and they look forward to [the dance] all year long; they come from all over the state of New Hampshire.”

Roughly two hundred people attended last year, with one hundred-fifty student volunteers ensuring the success of the event. It gives the community an opportunity to socialize with each other while dancing to great music and eating the food provided. The Meelia Center tries to get food donated from local grocery stores, and many stores often provide gift cards towards buying the food.

Activity tables are set up in the North Lounge of Cushing where guests can decorate cookies, make Valentine’s Day cards, decorate frames, or participate in a bean bag toss, just to name a few.

Michelle Robinson ‘16, a volunteer for the Meelia Center, mentioned a story that has always stuck out as a touching memory from the dance: “A few years ago, a boy at the dance always danced with one girl in particular. He ended up graduating and the girl came looking for him at the dance, only to discover he wasn’t there. Someone had his number so they called him up, and he dropped everything and went to the dance to see the girl again.”

Moments such as these are common with this dance, as it provides the guests with an opportunity to kindle new relationships and have fun meeting new people. As always, the need for volunteers is crucial. If anyone is interested in volunteering, says Coordinator for Service Events Riley Duggan ‘15, they can either pick up a registration sheet in Meelia or email her at [email protected].