Monica LaSalle, Gilpin County. Growing up in a small town in Northwestern PA, we definitely had Fourth of July Parades, kid’s Christmas Parties at the American Legion and VFW, Easter egg hunts and valentine parties in school. We celebrated as much as any community in post-Vietnam War, 80’s recession era American families could.

Moving to the mountains of Colorado, I discovered that there are more ways to celebrate than just according to tradition.

One of the ways, a favorite of mine, is the Father Daughter Sweetheart Dance held at the Gilpin County Rec Center in February in honor of Valentine’s Day.

I like to think of it as more than honoring what I have always considered a Hallmark holiday. In an age when we are daily faced with new and more horrific gender related discrimination, harassment and abuse reports in the news, one can begin to feel hopeless. That is why I find this Gilpin tradition to be so special and poignant. To me, it struck me as a perfect way for families to convey to their daughters exactly how to be honored and treated in a relationship. It’s not so much the balloon gazebo that they can pose under for a picture, or the gift bags and goodies they receive upon walking in the door. It’s the love and respect they can freely share with each other and amongst their community and peers.

Although I can personally attest that the goodies that organizer Gabrielle Chisolm arranged for the event were delightful and appreciated by all the guests who attended the event. Her second year of organizing, Gabrielle was as excited to party with the dads and daughters as any of them. She arranged dinner, dancing, games such as unicorn toss (this year’s theme was Unicorns), making unicorn masks, valentines and other crafts. There were cupcakes and candy, blow out noise makers that were an especially popular item with the kids at least, and more.

A celebration that dads and daughters can put into the pockets of their hearts to be pulled out whenever they need reminding of who they are in the world.

(Originally published in the February 14, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)