EHS Athletes Host Annual Senior Citizen Dinner and Dance

The Eastchester Athletic Council hosted one of its most popular events of the year on March 1, when EHS athletes welcomed some of the town’s older residents to share a meal and cut a rug at the annual Senior Citizens Dinner and Dance. 

The celebration—held in the EHS Cafeteria—has been organized by the student-run athletic council since its inception in 2016. Throughout the years, students and seniors alike have viewed the event as a way to build a bridge between generations of Eastchester residents and serve as a testament to the strong bonds of the community. 

Athletic Council President Deanna Biancardi, who served as the event’s chief organizer, said that the Senior Citizen Dinner and Dance is always highly anticipated by Eastchester’s athletes, who relish the opportunity to share a meaningful experience with their elders.

“I participated in the Senior Citizen Dance last year and was excited about the night, because it feels great to connect with the community and celebrate the older generation,” said Biancardi. “It was heartwarming to see my peers interacting with the senior citizens and it made me happy to see the community come together. The biggest highlights were having the seniors teach us their dance moves and just seeing how everyone was genuinely enjoying their time together.”

Interim Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics Stewart Hanson explained that although his career has taken him to several districts in the area, this week’s celebration is distinctly unique to Eastchester. 

“This was my first experience with this particular kind of event, and I could not be more impressed with the student body and how they handled themselves,” he said. “The students met the guests—some of whom had walkers and canes—at the curb and walked them in, they sat down and ate with them, helped them throughout the night, and once the music came on, everybody went out and danced.” 

He added with a chuckle that he was thrown for a bit of a loop when he received his invitation to attend the celebration. 

“I didn’t know if I was being invited as a guest, I'm going to be 70!” he laughed. “But it was really an amazing gesture on the part of the students.”

Biancardi hopes this tradition will continue long after she graduates in June, giving future generations of Eagle athletes an opportunity to spend quality time with the fun-loving senior citizen guests.

“The success of the event shows that the Eastchester community is united, especially when a wide range of unique people, of all ages come together in a positive way,” she said. “It also reflects the dedication of our EHS student-athletes, giving back and making a meaningful impact in our community.”