Banner Olive Branch Senior Center, in partnership with Oak Street Health, is hosting its second annual senior prom June 20 at 13049 N. 103rd Ave.

The prom will run from 4 to 6 p.m. and will include a dance floor and DJ, punch and appetizers and a photo backdrop for attendees to capture the moment.

The event will be ‘70s themed and guests are encouraged to dress the part, said Julie Ash, community outreach leader at Banner Olive Branch Senior Center.

“This year we’re doing the second annual senior prom and it is going to be a ‘70s theme,” Ash said. “We’re getting our tie dye and our bell bottoms and our hip huggers out and ready to go.”

The decade was chosen as a nostalgic nod to baby boomers’ high school years, Ash said.

“The 70s were chosen because the baby boomers are all coming of age now,” she said. “The demographics are starting to change so we just wanted to do something a little bit different.”

Banner Olive Branch was originally created to support seniors’ physical health and nutrition, but since the pandemic the staff has leaned into creating ways for people to connect and socialize, Ash said.

Last year’s event brought in around 85 to 90 people and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

“People had so much fun last year,” Ash said. “More and more people of non–high school age are wanting to relive their high school proms. They’re doing it for fundraising purposes, they’re doing it for socialization purposes, and we just want to bring our community members together to do something a little bit different.”

For many people it’s about reconnecting with a time that holds special memories, she said.

“People are wanting to be nostalgic for when they went to their high school proms,” Ash said.

The senior center sees around 400 people a day, or about 2,000 a week - and events like this one are part of what keeps people coming back.

The center also has monthly events that focus on mental and social enrichment for seniors; they have movie showings once a month and educational seminars.

For physical health, the center offers fall prevention classes, chair exercise classes each week on Tuesday and Friday, and chair yoga on the first and third Thursday of each month.

To ensure seniors of the community are supported nutritionally the center also offers breakfast, lunch, to-go meals and a free food pantry.

Breakfast is served 6:30-8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. It’s $5 and open to everyone. Lunch is available 11 a.m.-noon Monday through Friday. There’s a suggested donation of $5. For anyone under 60, the cost is $5.

To-go meals are $5 each and handed out 11 a.m.-noon Monday through Friday, open to all.

The food pantry is free and open 7-11 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday.

To attend this year’s ‘70s themed senior prom call 480-818-0448.