Sometime around 1 p.m. Sunday, the smooth sounds of the Calamari Brothers echoed throughout the Willow Room at Twelve Acres in Smithfield.
Although the dance floor was full of fun-loving, smiling couples, other people were seated at linen-covered tables enjoying the unmatched camaraderie of all Manton Seniors events.
Meanwhile, Vinny Lato seemed to crank up his saxophone, while percussionist Anthony DelSignore played away and Jerry “Jack” Rubino – the Calamari Brothers’ keyboard player and lead singer – sang another song they made sound extra special.
The Manton Seniors were continuing a tradition that dates back to when Lorie DeVito became president of the independent senior citizens organization.
“And now its time for Lorie, our wonderful president, to announce the 2016 King and Queen of the Manton Seniors,” Rubino said as DeVito stepped to the microphone for the long-awaited announcement.
It is surprise unlike any other Manton Seniors themed dinner, simply because DeVito is the only person in the room to know who will be crowned.
After she announced Bob and Elaine Vita had been chosen as this year’s royal couple, the Johnston residents – who have been married for 53 years – stood almost in shock.
“What a surprise!” exclaimed Elaine, who was later crowned by 2015 Queen Louise Simonson.
Bob, who worked for the U.S. Postal Service before his retirement, stood silently and smiling, and didn’t know quite what to make of his newfound celebrity status.
“We never, absolutely never, expected anything like this,” he said after receiving his crown and red velvet cape from 2015 King Dale Simonson. “But we are certainly honored that we were chosen.”
As for DeVito, she simply enjoyed the moment – just as she’s done since initiating the unique ceremony back in 1998.
It used to be that the King and Queen were crowned at the Manton Seniors annual Valentine’s Party, but as DeVito explained Sunday: “February got to be such a stormy month we had to postpone the party. So I decided it would be best to combine St. Valentine’s Day with St. Patrick’s Day and hold the joint dinner-dance.”
For the remainder or 2016, Bob and Elaine Vita – who have been Manton Seniors members for the past decade, and lived in Warwick for 32 years before moving to Johnston a decade ago – will be known as the Manton Seniors King and Queen.
And that’s a tag, Bob said, that will also surprise his two sons and four grandchildren, who can now say their grandparents are indeed a royal couple.
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