Photo By Master Sgt. Kelly Simon | Chaplain (Maj.) Cody Vest, the Fort Drum Family Life Chaplain, and his daughter,...... read more read more
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Jewel bedecked ladies and their gallant gentlemen in dashing formal attire and military regalia entered the ballroom as two young squires swept the double doors aside and bade them a good evening. Twinkling lights glittered from every angle and the tables laden with flowers and sweets tempted the guests to try a morsel or two. Music flowed around the grand hall and shy voices could be heard singing along, “chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, flap, flap, flap, flap, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.”
No, this wasn’t some odd dream interrupted by a funny ring-tone. The 2017 Daddy-Daughter Banquet hosted by the Chapel Next Men’s Ministry, February 10 at the Commons, was truly a magical night for all in attendance.
As they arrived, the dads took their daughters coats and hung them carefully in the hall before joining them to help guess how many pink and red candies were in a glass jar. After the daughters submitted their best guess they received their table number and the fathers escorted them to the ballroom bedecked in twinkling lights, balloons, and of course, Valentine’s candy.
The couples then had their photos taken in traditional formal fashion, then a silly photo as well for a keepsake. They then moved on to complete a keepsake craft, thumbprint hearts with a special message from father to daughter.
The dad’s, mostly career Soldiers, were especially attentive to their young dates, holding chairs, refilling punch and water goblets, even helping re-tie a bow or buckling a shoe. There were looks of admiration all around as the young ladies looked up at their fathers with bright smiles and open arms.
Chaplain, Capt. Danny Crosby spearheaded the event and served as the emcee. Crosby is the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team chaplain and a father himself. He spoke to the fathers about the importance of prayer between them and their daughters, saying it’s important to make sure the Lord is present in their lives, even when they themselves can’t be.
Crosby, as a father, could sympathize with some of the prayers the fathers may want to use.
“God, please don’t send some knucklehead to like my little girl,” he chuckled as he addressed the attendees saying that although that can feel important, if the dads raise their daughters with the values of the church in their hearts, knuckleheads won’t be a problem.
One father/daughter group attending the banquet was Sgt. 1st Class Todd Styles, 1-10 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, and his two daughters, Danielle, 16, and Jessa, 13. The Styles family had looked forward to the event and were thankful Todd could be home to take his girls.
“This is something I can cherish,” Danielle said about the evening out with her dad. Jessa happily nodded her agreement. They both said they were looking forward to dancing with their dad, and although he isn’t a Fred Astaire, it’s still a special event for them, especially since he recently returned from deployment.
Todd spoke about his time deployed and how, even though he can’t believe he admits it, he missed his girls bickering and “carrying on.”
“You don’t realize how much you miss it until it’s gone,” he said smiling at his girls.
The sisters didn’t show any signs of their penchant for arguing throughout the night. They shared a very tender moment when the song “Cinderella” by Steven Curtis Chapman came on. Todd gently took Danielle’s hand as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“This was the song she wanted to dance with dad to,” Jessa explained, wiping a tear from her own eye. She smiled and watched her dad and sister spin slowly around the dance floor.
There was more dancing of all kinds, because no evening out is complete without the Hokey Pokey, Chicken Dance or the Electric Slide.
Crosby also introduced a couple of games, one of which had the dads trying to identify their daughter’s voice while blindfolded. Uproarious laughter ensued when a father picked the wrong voice and the girls giggled and shook their heads.
The only dad to correctly guess his daughter’s voice was Pfc. Casey Thole, 6th Battalion, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th CAB. His daughter Allison, 11, pretended to pout as she recounted how he knew it was her through the blindfold.
“He just knew because we were going to do something weird,” she laughed, smiling at her dad.
The dancing and fun continued as the dads tried to show their daughters how to properly tie a Windsor knot necktie.
Crosby, even the jubilant host, encouraged the fun, making sure he made time for his own daughter, enjoying a dance, private joke, and lots of smiles together.
Crosby talked about a fathers want and need to protect his daughter.
“Protecting our daughters doesn’t just mean putting up our dukes and protecting them physically. It means protecting their hearts, protecting their minds,” Crosby said.
By showing their little girls how a gentleman should treat a lady, and participating in events like the Daddy-Daughter Banquet, they are doing just that.
| Date Taken: | 02.10.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.14.2017 11:29 |
| Story ID: | 223498 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 193 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Daughter’s heart, a father’s hand, by MSG Kelly Simon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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