Cassopolis adults will have a chance to relive their glory days, thanks to the Ranger Project Graduation.

The Cassopolis branch of Project Graduation is hosting a Turning Back the Hands of Time event, meant to serve as an adult prom. The event will be hosted at 7 p.m. Sept. 30, at the Cass County Council on Aging, 60525 Decatur Road, Cassopolis. Tickets are $25 each, with Project Graduation having a goal of selling 250 tickets.

Project Graduation is a nation-wide program, where the parents of a school’s graduating class band together to raise money to provide a safe post-graduation party for the students that is both alcohol and drug free.

“It’s going to be a fun, fun night,” said Project Graduation Treasurer Susan McGrew.

The event will be a semi-formal, with dancing and a photobooth for prom photos. A dessert bar and an open cash bar will also be available.

The group organizing the event is working to keep costs low, while still creating a fun and impressive night, so that more money can go toward Project Graduation. Some ways they are doing this include using the COA as a location, because as McGrew is an employee there, she is able to rent out the facility at a low price. They are also having a local DJ donate his time for the event.

The money raised will go toward creating a safe night that the graduating Ross Beatty High School students will not forget, said Project Graduation President Lesley Steensma.

The adult prom is the first big fundraiser that Project Graduation is hosting this year. The group has several events planned throughout the school year to raise money, with the total goal that Project Gradation hopes to raise this year is between $20,000 and $25,000, Blank said.

“We have a great group of women working on this,” McGrew said. “We really want to give the kids an amazing Project Graduation. I think we can make our goal.”

In addition to raising money for Project Graduation, the adult prom will give adults a night out and a chance to relive their own prom, years after it happened, according to Steensma.

“A few people have said they didn’t have the chance to go to prom in high school or chose not to go,” Steensma said. “Quite a few people are excited to go to their first prom. It’s a night out. Who doesn’t like a night out?”

McGrew said some of the adults attending will be going all out to recreate an authentic prom night.

“Some of the moms and dads are having an elaborate date night and we have several couples who are renting a limousine and going out to dinner before,” she said. “They are really excited.”

Both McGrew and Steensma believe that the prom will be a success, and have already sold a number of tickets, with many of the graduating seniors’ mothers having already picked up tickets.

“There’s been a lot of buzz on Facebook. A lot of people who I don’t even know are coming out of the woodwork and saying they want to come,” McGrew said. “I really believe we are going to sell out.”

To purchase a ticket, contact Steensma at lslysteensma@yahoo.com or contact Project Graduation on Facebook. All proceeds will go towards Project Graduation.