A non-school-affiliated dance hosted by Heartbeats in Sync will take place to raise money for elderly citizens on Medicaid. The dance will take place at the Civic Center Regency Room on September 20th from 8 to 11 p.m.
The charity dance will feature a few familiar favorites from past school dances. This includes the same DJ as last year’s prom and a water table to ensure students can stay hydrated after a long night of dancing. Additionally, hired security personnel and parent chaperones will attend the dance to ensure student safety.
“I think it’s something that everyone’s been talking about, like why don’t we have a homecoming dance,” Junior Hannah Meresa said. “We don’t have that and I think this is the perfect time of year to do something like this.”
This 504 3c organization aims to provide for the elderly population that has become forgotten. With the money raised from the dance, the organization will provide holiday gifts, groceries and necessities for the elderly.
“I’ve got an 89-year-old grandfather and a 90-year-old grandmother; we care for them, but there are so many individuals in nursing homes on Medicaid,” Kaleen Reyna, Co-Founder of Heartbeats in Sync said. “When you don’t have family to take care of you or they just can’t take care of you, you’ll need help.”
Nursing homes cost around $9,000 on average, making elderly care a luxury. Most people cannot afford to care for their older family members, so these family members have to go on Medicare. To qualify for Medicare, a person must not have more than $2,000 in their bank account, have no properties of their own, and meet the age minimum of 65. Once a person receives Medicaid, they no longer pay for nursing home fees, and they receive $60 per month. However, this $60 can barely cover their grocery bills. All of these circumstances pushed Kaleen Reyna and her sister, who works with the elderly, to found Heartbeats in Sync.
“Just being able to care for them is such a blessing,” Junior Elise Reyna said. “Especially in that time when you never know when your last days are with them. Even if those people don’t have family, they still deserve that care. ”
Sandie News would like to restate that this dance is not affiliated with the school or the district.
