FALL RIVER: While current COVID-19 restrictions limit much activity, a group of parents of graduates from Lockview High School continue to plan, and revise, and revise again what a potential prom may look like.
Natasha Wagg: Grace Findlay and Theda McKenna sat down with The Laker News to talk about the planning to date. The interview was done on April 21 at the Fall River Tim’s, before current COVID19 restrictions went into place. The parents are organizing the event not connected to LHS.
Current COVID-19 restrictions would prohibit any activity or a prom. However, the parents are planning away with plan A, B, C in the works so they can be ready with whatever they’re thrown at the time regarding what they can and can’t do.
The three described planning the prom like when their kids were younger, and they had to plan birthday parties.
“This is like the biggest birthday party we’ve ever had to plan,” said Wagg.
As of right now, the plan is to hold the prom in July, but the details remain to be worked out depending on what the province announces in the coming weeks.
“We want to ensure any grad who wants to attend can do so and will work to try to make it happen,” said Wagg.
The parents fully understand and wish to do nothing but follow the guidelines as set down by the province at the time of the event.
“We know we have to make a change,” said Wagg. “We’re just going to keep moving forward with the plan. That’s the way to do it.
“And praying to God,” added Findlay with a chuckle.
Wagg said she has enjoyed organizing the event so far, making several new friends along the way.
“We’re obviously giving the kids something that they wouldn’t otherwise have,” she said. “However, finances are an issue.”
She said they have to raise enough money to cover the entertainment, decorations, security, etc. So, they’re hoping the community will step up. Fundraising efforts have begun. Keep an eye out for them, said Wagg.
“It’ll be everybody pulling together to help the kids of the community,” she said. “There are kids that go to the school that work at a lot of the businesses that are in our community.
“It would be nice to have some businesses come together and support the kids like they deserve.”
Wagg said they want to make the prom a memorable night for the grads.
“If they’re not going to be able to have a typical prom the way they normally would,” she said, “we would like to put a little icing on that cake for them and just make it a little bit, maybe more special than it would be otherwise.”
The grads that have been spoken to are excited at the prospect of having at least something of this nature.
“My son didn’t even want to go to prom like that,” said Findlay. “It wasn’t even on his radar. And now he’s at home, doing table charts of who’s sitting with who.
“It gives him something to look forward to.”
The three said the grads have been deflated—the year they graduate, and there’s been no celebration like in past years.
The prom is aimed at giving them a little special memory from their senior year.
“That’s all we want to do is have them leave their high school years with a good memory after all they’ve been through in Grade 11 and Grade 12,” said Wagg.