Friday, March 6, 2009

McGruder Valentine's Dance

TSUNLA members participated with the McGruder Family Resource Center's SILVER Program 2nd Annual "Red and White Affair" Valentine's Dance. The event was a huge success with over 100 seniors in attendance! The dance also featured a live band, "Piper and the Heartbreakers" and a DJ. Sponsors included Americhoice and Windsor Medicare Extra; and tasty food was provided by Just Us Girls Catering. LaToi Spears (SILVER Program Coordinator) and Monet Brown (McGruder FRC Admin. Coordinator) did a fantastic job with the planning, preparation, and production of the event. Also, Councilwoman Erica Gilmore and Councilman-at-Large Jerry Maynard both welcomed our Seniors at the beginning of the dance. And Urban EpiCenter Director, Keith Caldwell, was the MC.

For more photos please visit: http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=ustj482.8u892htm&x=0&y=-fh25hq&localeid=en_US

The following article written by Clint Boyd, Jr. appeared in The Tribune and The Pride:

A Valentine’s to Remember
(C.E. McGruder Family Resource Center hosts 2nd Annual Red and White Affair)

By: Clint Boyd, Jr.
Nashville, TN – On Friday, February 13, 2009, the C.E. McGruder Family Resource Center hosted its 2nd Annual Red and White Affair, a social dance for seniors. The event, which was held at the McGruder Center, 2013 25th Avenue North, was jammed packed with members of local seniors’ programs including the McGruder Center’s Silver Program, 14th Avenue Baptist Church, Bethlehem Center, Disciple Village, the Refugee Elders Group, Hadley Park Towers, and 15th Avenue Baptist Church. “This event provides seniors with the opportunity to meet-and-greet with old and new friends,” said LaToi Spears, the McGruder Center’s Silver Program Coordinator.
The event was sponsored by Windsor Medicare Extra and AmeriChoice United Healthcare. Dozens of volunteers helped including representatives from Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, the lead agency for the McGruder FRC. In addition to socializing and dancing, the seniors received door prizes, were treated to a beautiful spread of food, participated in a dance contest, and were entertained by the band Piper and the Heartbreakers and the Metro Parks Swinging Seniors dance troop.
“My passion is for the elderly,” said Tracye Henderson, Director of the C.E. McGruder FRC. “We created the Red and White Affair to provide an opportunity for the elderly to get out and socialize. We have many widows and widowers who often feel alone and lonely. This event gives them a chance to unite and build a network of friends,” she said.
The Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center / C.E. McGruder FRC is funded by United Way. The center began operation in 2003 and offers a variety of programs including early intervention, family outreach, case management, youth development, mental health services, financial education, basic computer skills, health education, nutrition education and adult education.
The center was named after the late Curlie E. McGruder for her dedication to the North Nashville community. Mrs. McGruder, who died in 1993, was the former president of the Davidson County Independent Political Council, a board member of the Tennessee Voters Council, a civil rights activist, and president of the local NAACP.

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