Luncheon a Hit for Local Seniors

The student council hosted the “Starlit Paradise” senior citizens’ luncheon on Saturday afternoon. Over 500 people, including almost 400 senior citizens, student and faculty volunteers as well as a rock and roll band partied like the good old days under a white tent from the junior prom the night before.  The luncheon, held every year on the day after the junior prom, has been a tradition for over 20 years and is held completely with the help of local donors.

“It takes about a month to organize it,” said New Hyde Park High School senior .  “[The student council] meets and brainstorms ideas, then we call local businesses to donate.”

Whether donations come in the form of time, food, decorations or funds, the annual luncheon happens with a massive amount of help from the entire community.  Students, teachers, local vendors and parents are fully involved in making the event a fun day for the senior citizens.

“It’s for a good cause,” said New Hyde Park High School senior James Walker, who has participated in the event for three years.  “It gives the seniors something fun to do on a Sunday.”

There were approximately 50 students volunteering at the event with a total of about 100 students involved in the event, McCullagh explained. 

“A lot of clubs get involved too, like the ," McCullagh said.

During the luncheon, seniors were served a full buffet lunch that was cooked by families and local restaurants. Leaning around large centerpieces donated by the senior class, they shared conversations and sang along with oldies hits played by The Vic Vincent Band.  While many danced for fun, others competed against each other in a dance-off.  The student council also raffled off several prizes during the luncheon.

“We call all the local senior centers and tell them this is going on,” said Student Council Advisor Erin Esposito.  “We give out about 500 tickets total and almost everyone comes.”

Some seniors found out about the event through friends and were glad to have come.

“My friend, Rosemary, heard about this and brought me here today, and it’s been just wonderful,” remarked senior Alice Barbaro.

Money raised during the event is put toward other community events held by the student council.