If you grew up in Fort Thomas, you
probably have many memories of attending canteen dances during your
early teen years. You and your friends might have taken over the
dance floor, or the coveted ping-pong tables in the game room.
Perhaps you finally plucked up the courage to dance with that cute
kid in your English class. Or maybe you sadly remember spending the
evening in the Armory's bathroom after getting dumped by your date,
in which case, this is your chance to create new, fun canteen
memories.
Go ahead and mark your calendars for
February 7, 2015, dust off those neon leg warmers, and kindly remind
those around you that nobody puts Baby in the corner. Brighton Center
has joined forces once again with Katie Walters, the Promotions
Coordinator at Q102 and longtime Fort Thomas resident, to bring those
beloved canteens back to life. This year, Fort Thomas Matters is also
onboard with Brighton Center and Walters for planning the Fort Thomas
Canteen 80's Throwback.
The idea for the dance first came to
light last year when Walters, who also serves on Brighton Center's
Board of Directors, was brainstorming fun ways to bring the community
together to help support the Brighton Center. “I was trying to come
up with an idea that was fun and proactive for the Brighton Center,”
said Walters. “Everybody has a memory at a canteen. I wanted to
recreate the sense of being at the canteen back in the day, of
dressing up and having fun.” When Walters approached Fort Thomas
Matters Editor and Publisher about teaming up for this fundraising
event, Collier considered it a no-brainer. “Brighton Center is
truly a community-driven organization, and the funds raised from the
Canteen Dance will directly effect the people in the community,”
said Collier.
I spoke with Brighton Center's
Development Director, Becky Timberlake, and their Marketing and
Communications Specialist, Deana Sowders, about the event. Along with
Walters and the Fort Thomas Matters staff, they are excited about
this year's event. One of the best parts about this dance is that it
isn't only about making sure the DJ plays your favorite jam and
dressing up with friends, but that the proceeds will be benefitting
the Northern Kentucky community. The money raised will go directly to
the Brighton Center, who will then use it to help fund their
community outreach and support programs. “Last year, it went to our
unrestricted giving, which can help support any of our 39 different
programs. Last year, Brighton Center served over 84,000 different
individuals on their journey toward self-sufficiency, through 39
different programs,” said Timberlake.
The first Fort Thomas Canteen 80's Throwback was
such a success that Walters and the Brighton Center staff didn't
think twice about hosting the event again in 2015. Last year, Walters
especially enjoyed how much the attendees enjoyed the event,
especially showing off their favorite 80's dance moves. “They
stayed on the dance floor from beginning to end,” said Walters.
Q102 DJs will be playing all your favorite 80's hits to keep the
party going, so go ahead and start practicing your moonwalk now or
memorizing those infamous Flashdance moves (sadly, buckets of water
will not be available at the dance).
The Brighton Center staff was also
impressed by the amount of partygoers at last year's event, and how
Walters was able to transport the Highland Country Club back to the
80's. “I liked how the community rallied around the event since it
was the first one and we didn't really know what to expect. We had a
nice turn out, and the Country Club did a great job of hosting us,
and Katie and her team did a great job of making it look very
80s-like. The folks that attended really had fun at the event, and it
ultimately led to a great event for Brighton Center,” said
Timberlake.
And what would an 80's party be without
teased hair, leg warmers, hair bands, and anything out of a John
Hughes movie? The Fort Thomas Canteen is a great way to channel
your inner-Axl Rose or Molly Ringwald. Last year's attendees fully
embraced the 80's theme by dressing in their favorite 80's styles or
as iconic 80's characters. According to Sowders, “People got very
creative.” Approximately 75% of last year's attendees donned their
best 80's gear for the occasion.
![]() |
Katie Walters, Brighton Center's President and CEO Tammy Weidinger, and Ken Weidinger at the 2014 Fort Thomas Canteen 80's Throwback event. |
Even if you don't want to put those
Footloose moves to good use, the Canteen is still worth
attending. Walters has worked to secure 80's-themed raffle prizes and
photography for the event. Also, Applaud Promotions was able to
secure the rights to the original “Fort Thomas Canteen” logo, and
have created specialty t-shirts to commemorate the dance. The shirts
will be available for purchase at the event.
For Walters, it was important to plan
an event that would get people out of the house for the night. She
wanted to give the community a reason to get a babysitter if they
need one, and party for a good cause. “Anyone with a memory of
being at a Canteen, just come back for one night and relive it. Or
you can come back and make a new memory,” said Walters. By February
7, you should be rested enough from the holiday craze, and ready to
escape the winter blues by getting dressed up for a night of fun.
“Make it your choice of place to go that night,” said Walters.
Along with Walters and Fort Thomas
Matters, the Brighton Center staff members are hoping this year's
Canteen is the best one yet. The staff also looks to the event
as a way to connect with the community, and help spread the word
about their work. “We'd like to engage more people, and have a
larger turnout. Also, we'd like this event to create awareness of
Brighton Center, and share more with the community what we do,”
said Timberlake. It's fundraisers like the Canteen that help
the Brighton Center to continue providing support for our friends and
family in the area. “We couldn't do what we do without the
community, and we certainly couldn't provide all the services that we
do without the community support. That's not just monetary. It's also
advocating for us, with us, and spreading the word about what we do.
It's about volunteering, responding to needs that we have as far as
clothing or food, so it's just really important to us that the
community stays involved, but also that the community believes in
what we do. That's really important too,” said Sowders.
The Fort Thomas Canteen 80's
Throwback takes place on Saturday, February 7, 2015 from 8:00pm until
1:00am at the Highland Country Club. Tickets are $25, which includes
2 drink tickets, light appetizers, and free parking. You can purchase
your tickets by visiting the Brighton Center's website.
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