A Night at the Roxbury

Prom 2007 went something like this - A grand "Grand March", dinner, a couple tornado warnings, dancing, after-prom in Atlantic, another tornado warning and then students stranded in Atlantic because of debris and high water.

Home after 6 a.m. - certainly a prom to remember.

The creators of Saturday Night Live couldn't have written this "Night at the Roxbury", but this years juniors, seniors and their dates lived it.

It began with the threat of severe weather safely off to the west in Nebraska. CAM High School patrons watched their students put on snappy tuxes and beautiful dresses, show up in Hummers, dune buggies and limos for the Grand March. Security let the crowd, and then each couple, into the Roxbury.

High winds pounded Anita as the couples went from posing on the red carpet to eating at places like the Redwood in Anita and the Feed Lot in Atlantic. Most made it to the dance on time, were done with pictures and dancing as the first of two tornado warnings were issued for western Cass County.

Computers and emergency radios kept the sponsors and administration apprised (as well as several parents) of the situation. With contingency plans in place (getting students to the locker rooms) the dance went on. The DJs provided a good mix of contemporary dance, country and oldies (if you consider the 80s old).

After prom went on at the Atlantic YMCA as yet another tornado rolled through the area around 3 a.m. Afterwards, debris and flood waters gave county officials no choice but to keep the CAM students in Atlantic, with many reporting they did not get home until 6 a.m.

In some instances the students were definitely safer where they were as several had damage reported at their homes.

A big thank you to everyone who was responsible for putting Prom 2007 - "A Night at the Roxbury" on for everyone to see and enjoy.