Veteran's Day Dance Brings the Community Together

It was a red, white and blue celebration in Colton on Nov. 8. The Hutton Community Center and the 50+ club hosted the Veterans day dance. Every month the Hutton community center hosts a dance exclusively for citizens 50+. Dances include a light lunch, music, raffles and music from a live band, with of course an open dance floor ready for anyone looking to show off some moves or meet up with friends for some good conversation. The November dance was exclusively dedicated to Colton veterans. The Hutton Community Center's main room was decorated from wall-to-wall red, white and blue decorations and all veterans were given free admission to the dance. Colton veterans in the 50+ club were honored during the dance with a shirt that read: "I'm a Colton veteran" on the front and "Thank you for your service" on the back. Nearly 80 seniors attended the dance, dancing to the sounds of The Traveling Homeboys, a band made up of mostly Colton natives. Raffle tickets were sold for $1 and in between dancing time, prizes were given away to raffle winners. Prizes included gift cards to Starbucks and Stater Bros., donated by Councilwoman Susan M. Oliva. Heidi Strutz, the recreation coordinator for Colton Community Services at the Hutton Center, says seniors enjoy the dances because it gives them an atmosphere to meet up with friends and have fun. Strutz, who has worked with the city since 2001 has been working closely with seniors for the last seven years says the center always tries to think of new things to do for seniors because Colton's 50+ are important to the city. Dances are usually four hours long, but the Veterans Day dance was extended to honor the city's 50 and older veterans and numerous raffles. Membership to the 50+ club is free. Anyone interested in joining the club can visit the center to fill-out a membership form. Membership to the club includes news and announcements in the senior quarterly and free admission to the numerous activities that the club offers, including local farmers market visits, dances and activity workshops.