Creating a Memory for Dads & Daughters That Will Last a Lifetime

On a beautiful Saturday evening, over 200 dads and daughters lined up outside the Naples Middle High School doors, anxiously awaiting entry to this year’s Daddy Daughter Sock Hop Dance, hosted by USO Naples.

Dads put on their finest dress blues, while daughters sported poodle skirts, cat eyeglasses, and tons of polka dots, and practiced their swing moves, jumps, and jives. As the doors opened, the sound of the Navy Band playing some of the best cover songs echoed through the halls, and families were filled with anticipation as they walked down the decorated hallway with jukeboxes, records, poodles, and dancing silhouettes lining the walls.

Behind the curtains to the entry to the cafeteria, dads, and daughters caught a glimpse of the scene ahead. Their eyes sparkled as they finally entered, taking in the sight of how the space was truly transformed into a 50’s venue. Checkerboards adorned the walls, with giant milk shakes and décor. The stage was lined with a million balloons, and there were sparkly streamers and a full 50’s car and photo backdrop waiting for them to capture such a precious memory.

The evening was filled with fun activities and delicious treats, encouraging dads and daughters to truly bond and enjoy a special experience together. The USO Naples team served up freshly popped popcorn, pink and blue cupcakes, and homemade cotton candy, and even facilitated a “flavor your own Coca-Cola” station. The Red Cross supported the event by providing 50’s themed goodie bags for each daughter and provided a volunteer of theirs to serve as the photographer. As the Navy Band’s set came to an end, MWR began DJ’ing classic sock hop songs, as the USO team hosted multiple activities to engage the crowd. One of the most memorable events of the evening was spectating the musical chairs competition among the dads. Ten total dads enrolled themselves for the fierce contest, competing against one another to win a special gift basket for their daughter. While all were good sports, only one dad could win. Along with laughs and good fun, they were narrowed down until there was only one. Seeing the dad win and hand over the hard-earned gift to his daughter, eyes lit up with pride, was priceless.

The annual Daddy Daughter Dance is truly one of the most impactful and memorable programs of the year, with so much selfless effort from volunteers. The team took simple items, such as cardboard and paint, and utilized those tools to create intricate, outstanding decorations which completely transformed the space. Seeing all the dads and daughters grooving out and tearing up the dance floor made all those hours of hard work and prep worth it. Paired with the Navy Band, Red Cross, and MWR, USO Naples was able to host a dance that will stick in the memories of dads and their daughters for the rest of their lives.