Dexter's Daddy-Daughter Dance A Popular Family Event

Wearing brightly colored dresses and white tights, holding the hands of their dads, who were dressed in suits and ties, nearly 600 dads and daughters attended Dexter's fifth annual Daddy-Daughter Dance on Saturday at .

"We do this as a special event so dads get to spend time with their daughters," said Jennie Greeley, Dexter Community Services enrichment and recreation coordinator. "We know girls love to get dressed up and get treated special by their daddies. We do it to enrich the community."

The event is organized by Dexter Community Services, with this year's theme featuring butterflies. Guests enjoyed snacks in the cafeteria, decorated with bouquets at every table, and a turn on the dance floor, complete with disc jockey and strobe lights. Doors throughout the event were decorated with beribboned white swags covered in colorful butterflies.

Brian Robeson of Dexter, who came with his daughters, Maebel, 10, and Lily, 7, said that he came to the dance for the chance to spend time with his children.

"It's nice, good fun," he said.

First-time dance attendees Bill Palazzolo of Dexter and his daughter, Cecilia, said they thought the event was great.

"I didn't realize it was this big," Palazzolo said. "There's a great turnout. We're just looking forward to hanging out without mom and brother."

Jeff Kirkey of Dexter, with his daughter, Julia, 5, in his arms, bopped around on the dance floor.

"We're boogeying," Kirkey said. "It's great fun. It's a great place to see friends and neighbors."

Greeley said the event attracts large numbers of attendees every year.

"Last year, we had 540. This year we had 591," she said.

Greeley said 16 people volunteered to help at the event, including students from Mill Creek Middle School and Dexter High School. She added that funds raised by the Daddy-Daughter Dance would be used to buy new equipment as needed for teachers.