A Night to Remember for Dads and Daughters

Doting dads and their precious daughters dressed to the nines to dance the night away on Friday—and got some much-needed quality time in the process.

The Montgomery Village Foundation's annual Daddy-Daughter Valentine's Dance brought 26 couples to the North Creek Community Center, cutting a rug, playing games and downing refreshments.

Among the couples were Jerome Leonard and his 8-year-old daughter Taylor. The duo made a date of it, enjoying a dinner out before the dance.

Daughter Taylor said she liked hanging around with her dad "because he's funny," and had a good time cutting loose on the dance floor.

"I like it, it's fun," said Taylor, who savored the chocolate-covered strawberries. "I got to spend more time with him."

Time is all too precious for the Leonards.  Leonard, who runs a technology consulting business, said events like this allowed him to set a good example for his little girl.

"Number one: she will see first hand what a gentleman is and how a gentleman should treat her. Most importantly, it's a good time for her to bond with daddy, because daddy works," Leonard said. “When we do things as a family, we're usually all together. This gives us a chance for one on one time."

This was the MVF’s third year hosting the event. This year's dance featured a live DJ, professional photography, games and refreshments.

The dance has gotten bigger and more popular each year.

"I think it's great for promoting family time and to give these girls time to spend with their father or male figure in their life," said Emily Fields, the dance’s coordinator. "I think it's good for a little girl to have a male influence in their life."