Senior Connection took the next step in planning its 2016 Black and White Christmas Ball with an inaugural meeting on Wednesday. (Photo by Anthony Richards)

Chilton County Senior Connection held its first meeting on Wednesday to discuss its 2016 Black and White Christmas Ball.

It will be the inaugural event, which meant that there were plenty of ideas to be thrown around during the meeting.

Certain details had already been decided heading into the meeting, such as the theme “Christmas in Paris” and that it will take place on Dec. 10 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Senior Connection in Clanton.

Admission will be $10 and will include food, door prizes and a photo booth.

Entertainment will be jazz music provided by “The Unusual Suspects,” which are comprised of both local and state talent.

“It will allow people to escape reality for one night,” said Brandi Lawrence, volunteer coordinator with Southern Care.

The band currently meets at Senior Connection every Sunday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

According to Senior Connection Coordinator Vanessa McKinney, the expected number of guests is about 200, with each person asked to wear their best black and white attire.

“We want it to be classy,” McKinney said. “It’s a good number to start comfortably with in the first year.”

According to SunCrest Home Health account manager Tammy Noah, the idea for the Paris theme came from a “Prom for Seniors” event that Calera First United Methodist Church was involved with last last year.

The planning committee agreed upon during the meeting to have the event’s food selection be “heavy hors d’oeuvres,” which is expected to be setup and monitored at various tables.

Sponsors for the event currently include St. Vincent’s Chilton, Southern Care and Hospice, Chilton County Tag Division Office and SunCrest Home Health.

Closed meetings are expected to be held more frequently leading up to the event, as the details continued to be ironed out even further.

“It takes an entire community effort to make an event like this happen,” Lawrence said.

The community is invited to participate in the event whether part of an organization or on an individual basis.

“The people that Vanessa (McKinney) has to help, care deeply about the welfare of this community,” Noah said. “This is their home and they are passionate about it.”