After Obama win Whately supporters made party plans

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

WHATELY - After all the solemnity and official oath-taking in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, they partied. It was true in Whately too. It wasn't exactly a glam ball, but it was fun.

More than 50 people, some in Barack Obama T-shirts, popped champagne and danced the night away at the Whately Inn Tuesday night in honor of the inauguration.

For many, the free party for town residents was a chance to mark a historic event that many deemed worthy of a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

Organizers Kara Leistyna, Cris Coffin and Chris Sarfaty said the party was their way of bringing everyone in town together to recognize this moment in American history.

Leistyna said the idea was sparked after election night, when a large group of people all worked up with excitement had no place to go. "Barack Obama had won, but we couldn't go out dancing in the streets," said Leistyna. "So we called up a lot of our friends and put together this celebration tonight."

Coffin said she volunteered to help organize the event because she realized that the election of the country's first African-American president was something everyone in town could appreciate.

"This was the first time in our lifetimes that we have really had an event that was so inspiring that the entire town could come together," said Coffin. "We chose to have it at the Whately Inn because this was the only place capable of accommodating all of these people."

Although the celebration lasted well past 11 p.m., the party drew a large number of area children, each of whom had the opportunity to add their own touch to a letter addressed to Obama, which was decorated with colorful and encouraging messages like: "No pressure, you're great!" and "Yes we can - and we did!"

While the adults danced and talked politics, the children had their own fun - playing games, drawing pictures and joining in on the dance floor.

Toward the end of the night, the music was turned down and party organizers screened Barack Obama's inauguration speech, which drew rounds of applause and hoots of excitement from residents.

"Tonight we are going to show George Bush leaving, President Obama being sworn in and then we are going to just keep on dancing," said Selectman Paul Newlin.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.