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North Bend Eagle

 

 

Celebration after prom lasts all night, 25 years

by Mary Le Arneal
published 4/15/09

In 1985 years ago Ron Anderson read about an idea called “post prom” and got the ball rolling in North Bend. The ball is still rolling– this weekend will mark North Bend’s 25th post prom celebration.

That first year Anderson called a few people together - he remembers Peg Phillips, Maria Spalding, Jan and Rick Hobza being there. They brainstormed and came up with a few ideas for a party for the North Bend students to attend after prom.

“People were very generous with their time and donations,” Anderson said. “The downtown businesses were very supportive.”

North Bend Central alumnus Bill Wilson, a Colorado business man, donated stuffed animals, smaller prizes and play money for the evening. The play money gave the original group the idea of having games for the evening, the students winning play money and then buying prizes with the money.

And so it began.

One of Anderson’s best memories of the early years was of young Dan Watts and Rick Watson doing skits for entertainment.

“We couldn’t have done it without them,” Anderson said. “All the silly, crazy things they did. The kids loved seeing their teachers up there.”

Anderson said that for the first couple of years, the kids didn’t know what to expect, but they knew that it was worth showing up for post prom. He continued leading the post prom movement until his youngest daughter graduated in 1988. The event carried on with able leadership from Spalding, Phillips, Nancy Hoops, the Hobzas and others.

Jan Hobza was actively involved with post prom until 1991, but continues to support it in other ways.

Some of Hobza’s best memories of post prom were the skits put on by parents and NBC faculty, frequently acting out popular songs of the day.

“‘The Streak’ with Rick Watson, Jim Dodge and Watts was hysterical. Then there was Watts as Sonny and Watson as Cher, another hysterical one. Those three were in three or four skit every year the first few years.

A surpise cameo at the end of “The Monster Mash” was another highlight for Hobza.

“We had been trying to get Ron Fittje in a skit for years,” she said. “Finally he agreed to be the ‘body under the sheet’ in the laboratory. When he got up at the end of the song (very Frankensteinish), the place went crazy. I think that one was the best ever.

The skits and entertainment were always popular and continue to be, but a few things have been discontinued. For three or four years, Hobza remembers there being a balloon drop. The parents blew up hundreds of balloons, with money or gift certificates inside and then dropped them over the students.

“We had to stop that,” Hobza said. “It got really dangerous.”

Another tradition that continues is the making of a denim signature quilt. Peg Phillips made the first quilt for the second post prom out of denim squares with each member of the senior class signing a square. Three years later she made a pillow for the juniors to sign and to be raffled off.
Kris Kavan is now in charge of making the quilt. She has been involved with the post prom committee for five years now.

“It is such a good idea,” she said. “I wish they’d had it when I was in school.”

Sue Emanuel was involved in post prom from 1993 until her youngest graduated in 2008. Her fondest memory on the entertainment committee was attempting to teach and practice skits or routines with parents.

“I totally enjoyed the response we received from the kids,” Emanuel said, “especially the look of shock and embarrassment from my own kiddos. Those were unforgettable looks.”

Janet Dunker worked on the post prom committee form 1995 to 2002.

“Mostly I went shopping,” Dunker said, “hoping we were getting stuff the kids like.”

Prizes given out at the end of the night were always a big draw. Dunker said they would get a microwave, clothes, watches, gift certificates, pretty much anything that they thought the kids would like.

“It’s wonderful for the community,” Dunker said. “It gives the kids something positive to do with the night.”

Sherry Emanuel is presently chairman of the post prom committee. She worked at the event for two years before getting on the committee four years ago. This is her second year as chairman. Serving on the committee with her are Amy Rezineck, Linda Baumert, Jill Hoops, Sheila Hull, Kristal Brabec, Jean Foy, JoLynn Hartman, Barb Hines, Kris Kavan and Heidi Timm.

“We couldn’t do it without the parents support,” Emanuel said. “Not just financially, but the physical set up too.”

The group has fundraisers throughout the year. They have soup and pie suppers at marathon basketball games and other activities to raise an estimated $6,750 needed to support Post Prom this year.

Emanuel said it takes a lot of planning to carry the evening off. The games are gathered from local resources. Rich and Jane Mehaffey bring 4-H games, the North Bend Fire Department loan their blackjack tables and there are games that have been made especially for Post Prom that the VFW stores for them.

There is always a cutest baby contest with the seniors baby pictures.
In recent years, Jill Hoops has been in charge of getting a t-shirt made that each attendee receives.

There is also plenty of food with sub sandwiches, nachos and candy for the night that starts at 12:30 a.m. and last until 5 a.m.

Skits from parents and faculty have decreased in recent years, but were brought back last year with a senior mother organizing them. There is usually entertainment of some kind, with a hypnotist, illusionist or mentalist coming in recent years.

While Anderson thinks North Bend’s post prom was one of the first in the area, 93 percernt of the school in the metropolitan Omaha area now have post proms in bolwing alleys, fun centers, theaters, and high schools.
Hobza is not longer active on the committee, but she and Janet Porter, both secretaries at NBC, get into the fun with guessing games and prizes the week leading up to prom.

I know we have one of the best (post proms),” Hobza said. “Others don’t even come close.”

Twenty-five years and counting. Anderson said that he is pleased that the post prom idea continued.

“It’s nice to still have that for the kids.”

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