Benilde-St. Margaret’s annual Father-Daughter Dance happened just this past weekend at the Golden Valley Country Club. It is an event that was coordinated by the chair and co-chair of the event and members of the PTA-Jenna Murphy and Nicole Walesch.

Both Murphy and Walesch have been a part of the PTA for multiple years and wanted to make the return of this event better than ever. “I’m really excited to really reinvent, reinvigorate, re-energize and just help people reconnect..go to these events at school, or how they’ve looked like in the past,” Murphy said.

Because of COVID the past few years have looked very different, especially when it comes to school and events and dances that occur through it. For example, last year for the Father- Daughter Dance only senior girls and their fathers attended and in lieu of traditionally attending it at the Golden Valley Country Club the girls and their fathers went bowling. “I love the fact that we are able to have it back this year at Golden Valley Country Club, as a dance, kind of how it’s looked like in years past…for two years we have not been able to because of COVID,” Murphy said.

Another exciting aspect that makes this year’s dance extra special is the theme: Valentine’s Day. The atmosphere of love emphasizes the fondness in the relationship between fathers and daughters. “It’s kind of revolving around Valentine’s Day, and who do we love the most? Probably our dad,” Murphy said.

The bond between family members is stronger than almost any other. In society today the time students are able to spend with these family members is very limited due to the very busy schedules that most people have throughout the week while trying to balance extracurriculars, work and academics. “I just think anytime you can create something, we’re really truly carving out a special time for a child to spend with their parents, or guardian or something like that. I think that that’s just an amazing opportunity. And it’s really easy to forget that and not carve time out for that with everything that’s going on in today’s society,” Murphy said.

This is specifically true when it comes to fathers and daughters and the special bond they share that this event is able to nurture through a variety of activities as well as the theme of love. Another thing that is special about the dance in general but specifically this year is that all ages are allowed to participate which means younger girls have the option to return to the event in coming years. “I really feel like one of the really neat, kind of beautiful things about father- daughter, is that it’s so hard today in today’s society, I think with everyone being so busy to really carve that time out for girls to have with their dads or father figures…it gives people an opportunity to participate four times, or it also allows people an opportunity that if you don’t work, they can count on doing something the next year, so I like that,” Murphy said.