By Daniel Callister

Members of the U’s Chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars hosted the third annual Senior Ball at the Brighton Gardens retirement home Saturday night.

The event provided residents of the assisted living facility with food, dancing and music. Among those in attendance were current and former U students and Utah’s oldest man.

“They have been talking about it for a long time,” said Calleen Rawson, the group’s director. “Many of them (were) getting ready the morning of the event, taking most of the day to prepare.”

Residents and volunteers alike were dressed in evening wear, matching the black and silver balloons and stars that decorated the walls. When the residents entered the hall, volunteers adorned them with silver beads and rose corsages. The Davis High Jazz Ensemble and members of that high school provided the music.

“The band plays a lot of Glen Miller,” said resident Marjorie Dalby. “It’s very acceptable to us seniors.”

Dalby said she attends the event every year.

The ball, which members of the U’s society of collegiate scholars organized, was the brainchild of Patty Moses, a graduate student at the U in speech language pathology.

Among those attending the event was Utah’s oldest man, Russell B. Clark, 108.

“Oh yes, it was great!” Clark said of the ball. “The thing I like most was that there was no alcohol. No one was drunk.”

Volunteers delivered refreshments, escorted residents to the photo booth and invited residents to dance.

Shahene Pezeshki, a senior in computer engineering at the U, said the ball seemed to enliven the residents.

“It was great. A lot of the residents used to dance every week,” he said. “It is really nice to give them that chance again. They really brighten up.”

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Tyler Cobb

Joshua Irvine, member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, pins a rose on one of the residents during the annual senior ball held at the Brighton Gardens retirement home.