Valentine's Day Special: Villa Rose Senior Living Community Hosts Senior Prom for Residents, Crowns King and Queen

BETHALTO - Residents at Villa Rose Senior Living Community in Bethalto enjoyed a Valentine’s Day-themed senior prom.

On Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, staff members dressed in suits and prom dresses and residents danced to music by Chuck Cannon. The fourth annual senior prom was a reminder to all that there’s “magic” in the Villa Rose “family,” said Executive Director Cindy Cannon.

“We just want to keep them engaged. We want them to act like young kids,” Cannon said of the residents. “We want them to interact with other residents, build relationships with other residents. It's just a huge part of what we do here. We just hope that they find this family within the community.”

Cannon noted that the Valentine’s Day prom and steak dinner are always big hits. Residents are encouraged to bring dates and “reminisce” about their own high school proms. A few of the residents didn’t get the chance to go to prom, so this serves as an opportunity to relive the experience.

As much as the residents enjoy the dance, the meal is equally important. Food Service Manager Maisey Watson explained that the residents look forward to the steak dinner and bread pudding dessert. They offer three meals a day at Villa Rose, and the food is cooked in the kitchens, not shipped in and warmed up.

“We always try to make it special for them,” Watson said. “We actually prepare our meals here, versus it coming in and just going in the oven. Here, the cooks are back there cracking eggs on a grill so that they're fresh. Our meals are always prepped and cooked from scratch.”

Lead Server Allen Parsley echoed Watson and shared that he enjoys interacting with the residents. He has developed meaningful relationships with many of them through his work at Villa Rose.

“Whenever you serve them, and they enjoy the meal that you give them, it brings a smile to our face, to our hearts and soul, because we’re making them happy,” he said.

This family feel is what makes Villa Rose stand out, Cannon explained. As residents danced, she was eager to crown Villa Rose’s prom king and queen.

Cindi and Harry Mack received the honor this year, and they expressed their excitement to be “kings for a day,” Harry said.

“It’s a thrill,” Cindi shared. “It's a big family, and the staff is very good with helping us whenever we need help.”

Cindi and Harry Mack have lived at Villa Rose for four years. Harry added that he enjoys “a lot of things” about living there, including the food, the campus’s walkability and safety, and activities like bingo and the senior prom.

Cannon emphasized that Villa Rose is like “a college dorm for seniors.” As an independent living facility, they offer services like med reminders and help with showers as needed. But the residents are mostly independent, and they enjoy experiences like the senior prom.

Cannon added that many of the residents have experienced “a sense of loss in their life,” whether that be a spouse, child, or someone else. They might “feel like maybe their life is over” before they move to Villa Rose and connect with the community there. She believes that seniors deserve to have incredible, active lifestyles, and Villa Rose aims to make this the reality for their residents.

“There’s this whole new life,” Cannon said. “If you’re just curious what goes on here, just come do a tour. Take a tour so you can get a feel for the community.”

For more information about Villa Rose Senior Living Community, visit their official website or their official Facebook page.

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