Fly Me to the Moon

Junior Ocieleta brings back the 1940s for one evening with inaugural Hangar Dance.

The members of the Junior Ocieleta Club of Claremore are planning the upcoming Inaugural Hangar Dance at the Claremore Regional Airport as a fundraiser for a scholarship and community needs. This event will take the place of their Christmas Home Tour.

The Junior Ocieleta Club of Claremore is gearing up for its next big fundraiser event, a 40s-themed Hangar Dance in conjunction with this year’s Claremore Air Show. This Inaugural Hangar Dance, dubbed Fly Me to the Moon, will hopefully replace the previously held annual Christmas Home Tour organized by the Junior Ocieleta Club.
“After more than 30 years, we were really starting to see a decline in attendees to the Home Tour,” said event co-chair Emily Brown. “We want our biggest annual fundraiser to be something people can enjoy and really look forward to attending. This type of social dance event seemed to be something the Claremore community was lacking, so we thought we’d give it a try.”
Claremore’s Hammett House will be catering an incredible WWII themed menu of heavy h’ordeuvres. There will also be a cash bar for anyone wishing to partake. For entertainment, the Mike Bennett Swing Band will be playing the big band hits of the 40’s and 50’s. Attendees are encouraged to dress in period style costumes and come ready to dance the night away.
“We are really excited to host such a fun themed event,” said event co-chair Jessica Wilbourn. “This was the time World War II was ending, our troops were returning home, the economy was booming and there was just a joy and light-heartedness in the hearts of the people. We really hope the public will get into the nostalgia of the era and come to the event ready for a great time.”
In addition to the obvious food, drinks and dancing, Fly Me to the Moon will play host to a silent auction. OETA Executive Director Dan Schiedel will be traveling up the turnpike from Oklahoma City to serve as the event emcee for the evening. A costume contest will also add to the fun and a professional photographer will be available to take portraits of guests with a WWII aircraft.
Fly Me to the Moon will be held at the Claremore Regional Airport on Friday, June 10, 2016, the night before the Claremore Airshow, at 7:00 PM. Tickets to the event are $50 per person and can be purchased from any Junior Ocieleta member or from two different Claremore businesses: Bennett’s Route 66 Pharmacy, located at 700 N. Lynn Riggs Blvd., and Elizabeth Jean Salon, located at 221 S. Florence Ave. Limited seating will be available. To reserve a seat, eight-person tables are also available for reservation at a fee of $800.  
Junior Ocieleta’s Fly Me to the Moon Hangar Dance will happen in partnership with the City of Claremore, the Claremore Regional Airport and Visit Claremore/Claremore EXPO. Pelco Structural and Bennett’s Route 66 Pharmacy are major event sponsors.
Junior Ocieleta Club, founded in 1956, is a women’s service organization that’s sole purpose is to support local community needs and non-profit organizations, including an annual scholarship drive. For more information, search Facebook for Junior Ocieleta Club of Claremore or visit the website below.