Nothing to hate about holiday that celebrates love

Love is definitely in the air. And that’s just fine by me.

My sentimental side is a sap for the hearts and flowers that accompany Valentine’s Day. I bring out every piece of heart-shaped jewelry I own and decorate the house with hearts, cupids and red and pink accents. I also put a bit of extra love in the heart-shaped muffins I make for the family and try to make sure there is a surprise waiting for everyone when they wake up that day.

Granted, I enjoy these things year-round, but when mid-February rolls around they don’t seem so out of place.

Judging by Monday’s “A Little Night Music” celebration at the Senior Center, it seems I’m not the only one who has a soft side when it comes to matters of the heart.

Dressed in their Valentine’s Day finest, the crowd of mostly senior citizens had romance on their minds. They came to celebrate love and spend some special time with friends and sweethearts. No one was disappointed.

The festivities included sweet treats for the eyes, ears and stomachs. After enjoying desserts and appetizers, the entertainment began.

Master of ceremonies for the evening was The King, an Elvis impersonator who wooed the ladies with his crooning, comedy and red carnations.

A highlight of the show was a performance of Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” on piano played by Ethelyn Peterson, who was later joined by her oldest son, Mark Peterson, a pediatric dentist, who played “Danny Boy” on the flute.

But what was really heartwarming were contributions by the younger set: 10-year-old Rachel Rose Krumm, who sang and tap-danced, and 16-year-old Arianne Hess, who played “My Heart Will Go On” from “Titanic” on the violin.

The evening program closed with “My Funny Valentine,” sung beautifully by Allison Tobler.

What would have made the evening perfect, at least to me, was the mini-movie I had going through my mind during the song’s musical interlude. Allison seemed a little ill at ease then, and the romantic in me envisioned her husband, Mayor Roger Tobler, stepping to the “stage” and sweeping her off her feet for an impromptu dance a la Fred and Ginger.

Although hearts, flowers and chocolate immediately come to mind when it comes to showing someone how much you care, love comes in other forms as well, such as Saturday’s Passion for Purses luncheon presented by the Boulder City Hospital Foundation to benefit the hospital. The enthusiasm of the ladies (and a few gentlemen) who attended and supported the fundraiser was just a different kind of expression of devotion.

Dressed to the nines, with many of the ladies sporting hats that could rival any of those worn at the Kentucky Derby, they showered their love for the community and hospital by bidding on purses and auction packages.

There were about 70 purses in the silent auction, offering a range of styles to suit everyone. Part of the afternoon’s live auction was a pouch auction, where the ladies had the opportunity to bid on custom jewelry pouches that contained a number that corresponded to select prizes. The fun was the surprise that came when the gavel came down on their final bid. The winners didn’t know what they won until the auction concluded.

It was a fun way to spend an afternoon and do something good for the community at the same time. It’s an annual event I look forward to attending next year.

In the end, thousands of dollars were raised for the hospital. Having a hospital in the community is good for the heart — along with the rest of the body — and keeping the heart happy, whether figuratively or literally, is really the best part of a holiday that celebrates love.