On Main Street.
With a crowd gathered at a distance, about 20 couples from the small community a half-hour west of Mitchell took part in the annual high school tradition. But instead of coming together in a decorated gymnasium and dancing the night away, the group held a grand march down the main thoroughfare of the town, where friends, family and community members lined the sidewalks on both sides, taking pictures and cheering the students as they took back a little sense of normalcy in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The event served as a substitute for the traditional prom originally scheduled for April 25, which was canceled when Gov. Kristi Noem asked all schools in the state to close until the end of the school year to help fight the spread of the disease, effectively canceling all school-sponsored activities for the rest of the year.
Angela Munsen and Jacob Bauman share a laugh as they take part in the community prom event Friday night in White Lake. The community-organized event was held as a substitute for the traditional prom, which was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Erik Kaufman / Republic)
“So many events are canceled, and we’re such a small community and the kids are starving for something to do,” said Barb Becker, owner and publisher of the Aurora County Standard newspaper, who helped organize the event along with the help of city officials and community members. “I think it’s a great thing to do to give them something to do and make some memories for them and keep them safe.”
The couples first arrived at the Aurora-Brule Care and Rehab nursing home, where they paraded around a windowed entryway to allow the residents to see the youth in their formal attire before they reconvened on Main Street, which had been closed to traffic for two blocks to allow the public to attend and take pictures of the students.
Mercedes Hillman and Steven Youngstrom march down Main Street in White Lake Friday evening as part of the outdoor community prom event held as a substitute for the traditional prom, which was canceled after schools closed to help fight the COVID-19 outbreak. (Erik Kaufman / Republic)
Becker said she got the idea for the open-air prom after hearing about a similar event in Miller.
“I thought we’re actually a little smaller than Miller, so we talked to them and changed some things to see how it could fit into our community. We then asked the city and they’ve been great,” said Becker.
Melanie Mudder, Randa Vanden Hoek, Kameron Styles, Isabelle Pheifer and Gabe Baas gather at the Aurora-Brule Care & Rehab nursing home in White Lake prior to taking part in a community-organized prom event that was held outdoors on the city's Main Street. (Erik Kaufman / Republic)
The students walked arm-in-arm up and down the two-block stretch, up one side and then back down the other, several dozen feet apart, stopping occasionally at six decorated stations where they would pause for the public on both sides of the street to take photos of them from the sidewalk. They concluded with a short dance in front of the Last Call Bar before the event transitioned to a Friday Night Cruisin’ event that the larger public could take part in.
Becker said the community supported the idea of the event from the beginning, with the city of White Lake providing the stretch of Main Street and local businesses providing perks including transportation around town for the students by a 4x4 vehicle and free ice cream.
Melanie Mudder receieves a rose from White Lake mayor Janice Thiry during the outdoor prom event hosted by the White Lake community Friday evening. (Erik Kaufman / Republic)
Becker said the event provided a fun alternative to what has been an unusual school year for students, parents and community members who are used to sharing in the celebration of students and their activities.
In the midst of an unusual spring, it helped bring a little cheer to a pandemic-weary public.
“It’s wonderful. At first there were a lot of questions, but people are very understanding about what’s going on and being responsible,” Becker said.
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May 03, 2020 at 11:00PM
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On Main Street, White Lake community celebrates prom - The Daily Republic
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