All-White Party For Seniors

In an effort to uplift the spirits of senior citizens living in the St. Catherine South Police Division during Senior Citizens Month, members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) hosted an all-white dance party in their honour on September 25.

The party, held at the HEART College of Construction Services in Portmore, St. Catherine, was placed on the national calendar of activities for Senior Citizens Month.

This third annual event was organised by the St. Catherine South Division’s Community, Safety and Security Unit, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Paulette Baker. It was supported by the National Council for Senior Citizens and the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) editorial department with treats.

After witnessing more than 200 seniors arriving for the evening’s dance session, DSP Baker said the event was “community security in action”.

“For us, this is not just what community policing is all about. It is not simply about enforcing law, but [also about] building relationships, creating partnerships, and demonstrating to our citizens that the police care about their well-being and quality of life… . What started as a simple idea, has grown into this wonderful celebration,” DSP Baker said.

“What became clear to me from the very first year, is that our seniors love to dance. I was so impressed that I proposed establishing a Senior Citizens Dance Club as one of our community initiatives. As Senior Citizen Month approached this year, I began thinking about how we would do something different. Something that would take our usual gathering to another level, and then the idea came, ‘Why not host an all-white party for the seniors?’,” she said.

She noted that the demand for enjoyment and celebration is high among the seniors living in the Division, and immediately after the promotional flyer was issued on WhatsApp, calls came in for registration.

“The response was so overwhelming, and of course, I may have gotten another 200 requests from people who have not registered formally, but you see what the audience looks like today,” DSP Baker said.

“The tremendous response tells us something important. That our seniors want the opportunity to come together, socialise, remain active, and most importantly, enjoy life,” she said.

Also present to support the initiative was Custos of St. Catherine, the Hon. Icylin Golding, who helped to lead the dance floor.

There was a special segment for September birthday celebrants with cakes provided by the JIS Editorial team. Jamaica observes Senior Citizens’ Month between September 1 and October 8, marking the 50th anniversary of the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) under the theme ‘Honouring a Golden Legacy; Shaping a Bold Future’.