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Ramstein Intermediate School fifth-grader Kalli Warwick, 11, was excited for a whole week because she was going to her first dance – a Valentine’s Day Dance held Feb. 14 at the Vogelweh Community Center.
“We bought her a new dress and shoes and her first pair of pantyhose,” said Kalli’s mother, Mari Warwick, a Ramstein Elementary School multi-age teacher. “There’s not a whole lot for youths in this age group to do, and this (dance) is a nice way to break them in for their first dance experience.”
The dance was also the first fundraiser for a new chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in the KMC – the Lone Star Chapter #60. Eastern Star is a non-profit social order or fraternal organization comprised of people with non-denominational spiritual values, but it is not a religious club, said Tefferra Atkinson, the Lone Star Chapter #60 president, who likened it to the Masons.
“Our sole purpose is to hold fundraisers and give back to the community,” Mrs. Atkinson said. “This dance is to raise money so we can give baby baskets for the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.”
The goal was to raise enough money for 10 baby baskets, Mrs. Atkinson said. The baskets will contain socks, booties, nail clippers, diapers and anything for a newborn.
“I had a lot of fun (at the dance),” Kalli said.
Close to 30 youths, ages 11 to 16, enjoyed dancing, games, contests and food and refreshments during the three-hour event.
“I want to try to do fundraisers like this that offer something for the children so their parents can have some time for themselves,” said Mrs. Atkinson, who came up the idea of a dance to give parents a chance to have dinner together on Valentine’s Day.
She added that she wants to hold events like this dance around other holidays. The Lone Star Chapter #60 falls under the Texas jurisdiction for the Order of the Eastern Star. Mrs. Atkinson said there are three more state jurisdictions in the KMC: Maryland, Oklahoma and Washington.
The Texas chapter meets the first Friday of the month on Miseau Army Depot.
For more information, call Mrs. Atkinson at 0160-5550629.
