Heads up! There's a new way for youth to get down in Chilliwack.
Super Sweet Sounds is a monthly community dance party for youth aged nine to 14.
Presented in partnership by Mint Entertainment and Sticky's Candy Downtown, this brand new event will run one Friday per month until May 20, kicking off February 19.
The Vineyard Centre will be transformed into a dance club with lights, lasers and the best tunes in the Fraser Valley, all while helping to feed hungry kids.
Super Sweet Sounds supports Chilliwack Community Services (CCS)' Starfish Backpack Program.
An estimated 600 children in Chilliwack go to school hungry on Monday mornings.
While many are provided with breakfast, lunch and recess snacks at school, they don't have access to nutritious food over the weekends.
The Abbotsford Rotary Club created the Starfish Backpack Program in 2014 to address the same need within their school district, and the program has since grown to five cities.
The program is simple: backpacks full of food are sent home with each child on Fridays to feed the child and their families over the weekend. The cost of filling each backpack is $525 per school year, and 100 per cent of donations received go directly to purchasing the food.
In Chilliwack since September 2015, the program has been implemented in three local schools, serving now 80 children. The goal is to expand the program to ensure that no child in Chilliwack goes hungry over the weekend.
The four fundraising dances have been organized by Cameron and Sara Douglas, owners of Mint Entertainment and co-owners of Sticky's Candy Downtown.
"As soon as we heard about the Starfish Backpack Program from our community neighbours at CCS, we really wanted to find a way to help sponsor more kids," Cameron said.
"Plus, we have our own son this age now, and we appreciate when we have a safe and trusted activity for him on a Friday evening," Sara added.
They have run similar youth dances in Ladner for two years, drawing in crowds of up to 300 preteens for a fun night out with great music.
"It's kids helping kids," promoter Tanya Crowell said. "They're able to come out and have some fun, knowing that they might be helping kids in their classes who are struggling or don't have the same means as they do."
The two-hour window provides a great opportunity for parents to go out on a date after dropping of the kids, too.
The Super Sweet Sounds dances will run on the third Friday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Vineyard Community Centre (45982 Wellington Ave).
Snacks, refreshments and Sticky's Candy will be available.
Tickets are $5 at the door, and 25 per cent of all ticket sales support the Starfish Backpack Program.
These safe, fully-supervised dances have bag-check on entry and no in-and-out privileges.
Learn more about the dances at Facebook.com/mintpreteendance or by calling 604-845-4461. Check out the Starfish program at starfishpack.com/chilliwack/.