Although voices boomed and laughter echoed over a meal, this was no ordinary school lunchtime in the cafeteria. This was the Senior Dinner, a dinner and a show provided for Neenah Seniors, on opening night (Oct. 9) of the school musical every year. 

“I think it’s great that the teachers have to serve everybody,” laughed dinner attendee Pat Walbrun. She and friend Jan Meulemens sat at a fall-decor-laden table in the center of the  cafeteria. “I think it’s a nice event to get the seniors out, you know,” Meulemens said.

With a smile, Walbrun added: “You can tell because it’s so hard to get in. You try to get in and people are just rushing the doors. That’s called being a senior citizen though; I never want to be one of those pushy seniors.”

The senior night is as important to her as it is to the others, and the seniors are not the only ones who look forward to this annual tradition.

Mayor Dean Kaufert attended the Senior Dinner for the first time this year. After he solidified his commitment to Seussical the musical by renaming the town “Whoville.” He had to go all out for this production.

Smiling in a full Cat in the Hat costume, the mayor made sure to go to every table and talk with the seniors sitting at it: “I think it’s a great opportunity for the community to get together and seniors to enjoy a nice dinner and have some fun. Getting them together with young people is always a positive.” 

It is true, the room is scattered with teens serving and talking to seniors. This is National Honor Society member Stephanie Much’s second year at the dinner, and she still feels its impact; “It’s just really nice. I think it’s a good opportunity for them to see what we are doing; the fact that we have teens volunteering too. I feel like a lot of them don’t come out to things like this too often, so I guess it gets them out, served a nice meal, and get to see a really well-done musical is probably really important for them.”

From the people serving them to the seniors themselves, this night is important to all involved, and is a great way to celebrate opening night.