VALENTINE STAR(S) KEPT SWINGING AT FRIDAY DANCE

Jessica Warren and Elvis Bird could have danced the night away if the music would have played on forever. The couple spent much of the night dancing to everything from "Macarena" to the Backstreet Boys during the STAR Valentine Dance Friday night at the Osage Community Centre.

STAR is acronym for Special Therapeutic Activities in Recreation, a program initiated by the city's Parks and Recreation Department staff. It is designed for people with developmental delays or learning disabilities.

People from as far away as Fredricktown came Friday to the dance. Most were from Cape Girardeau or Jackson, and were regular attendees for the monthly activities.

STAR tries to find simple activities for the groups each month. As many as 100 people have attended, but the numbers vary by month and topic. Since the September kickoff, there has been a barbecue, Halloween hay maze, Christmas shopping excursion and a movie night.

The November dance was probably one of the most popular activities. It was one of Bird's favorites until the Valentine dance Friday. He was crowned Valentine king during the event too.

With all the flurry of activity and rush, Bird had to take a few breaks just to catch his breath. While the couple sat side by side in chairs lined against the walls, Warren said, "I'm just giving him a break."

Music pounded from the sound system speakers as she waited for another dance.

"He's such a sweet man," she said and patted Bird's arm.

Bird put down his soda can, picked up his glasses and headed back to the dance floor for a number by Latin sensation Ricky Martin.

Bodies twirled and spun on the dance floor in flashes of color dominated by red, which many donned in honor of Valentine's Day. Some people were dressed in jeans and T-shirts while others put on their best suits and dresses for the party. Couples were scattered across the floor but most people chose to dance alone or in groups.

Christina Hanks could hardly step off the dance floor before she got another invitation. She is the director of the Madison County Council for the Disabled in Fredricktown.

Eight people from Fredricktown came to Cape Girardeau for the dance "and there's a dance tomorrow night that they all want to go to," she said Friday.

Most of her group had known about the STAR dance for about two weeks, some had been to last month's event and expected it would be fun.

"We didn't have enough staff to bring everyone who wanted to attend," she said. The events and dances have been very popular. "And they'll want to listen to more music and more music" on the drive home, she said.

STAR tries to offer activities and social events for people of all ability levels, said Amy Roth, a recreational programmer for the city. As it grows and gets a consistent crowd, there is the possibility for more programs.

During the Christmas shopping spree, STAR held a white elephant sale with items from past community garage sales. Every item was under 25 cents and the buyers were allowed to choose a gift and then wrap it. "It makes them really happy," Roth said of the STAR activities.

"They can assert some independence and get a sense of accomplishment," she said.

So far all STAR activity costs have been paid for by the city park's department, with some donations for food and drinks.

Next month's event is an ice cream social set for March 16 from 6-8 p.m. For more information, contact the Osage Centre at 334-2859.