Mixing Valentine's dancing, virgin daiquiris and friendship

While some lovebirds may prefer to celebrate Valentine's Day with a candlelight dinner, others would rather dance the night away in the company of 100 friends.

On Friday the Special Therapeutic Activities in Recreation annual Sweetheart Dance was held at the Osage Community Centre. Adults gathered to socialize while they sipped virgin daiquiris, the drink of the night.

Although Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department holds monthly STAR dances, February brings one of the largest crowds.

"They look forward to it every year," said Penny Williams, recreational manager. "It gives them the opportunity to have a night out on the town."

STAR is a community therapeutic recreation program that serves individuals with developmental delays or learning disabilities. The monthly dances are an important part of their entertainment calendar because it gets them out and socializing.

Those who attended may have gone stag, but that didn't stop them from finding dance partners out on the floor.

For many, the STAR dances are like the proms they may have missed in high school.

"They deserve this. We all deserve to have a socialization event," Williams said.

cpierce@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127