Blue Valley Recreation News

By Mary Livermore Bush, Special to The Star

Leawood resident Brad Quigley had plenty of dance partners at the Blue Valley Recreation's annual Daddy Daughter Date Night. Quigley had the honor of escorting four young ladies to Saturday night's dance - his two sets of fraternal twin girls - 9-year-olds Anna and Abby and 6-yer-olds Ava and Ella.

"It's girl power to the fourth degree all the time," said Quigley.

The dad-daughter event always draws a crowd and had 302 attendees this year at Overland Park's Ritz Charles, said Blue Valley Recreation's Program Supervisor Joann Miller. Miller was surprised and delighted when she saw the Quigley's names on the registration.

"We had 44 dads attending who had more than one daughter," said Miller. "But the Quigleys were the only family with two sets of twins."

Quigley said he gladly steps aside and lets wife, Kelli, get the girls ready for a big event like their date with dad. She lines them up with curling iron in hand and starts fixing hair. It is a routine the girls know well.

"It's just how we get ready - it's fun and it works," said Kelli Quigley.

Ava and Ella have watched big sisters Abby and Anna go to the dad-daughter night for the last few years. This was their first year to attend, and excitement ran high the evening of the event.

"I put shiny polish on my nails and got a sparkly dress," said Ava. "But my favorite thing is dancing with my dad and sisters."

Kelli Quigley said it is ironic that her husband ended up with a houseful of girls.

"Brad grew up with all boys and is such a guy's guy," said Kelli. "But he loves having girls. He coaches their basketball and soccer teams and loves being with them. And he gets lots of hugs."

Abby and Anna said they look forward to the evening each year.

"There are balloons just everywhere, and the cookies and food are great," said Abby. "And I love haning out with dad and my friends."

Brad Quigley said he wanted the evening to be special for the girls, so he and some other dads and daughters rented a limo.

"We went to Winstead's first to eat and then just rode around in the limofor a while," said Brad Quigley. "At the dance, I tried to dance with each of the girls, but we did lots of group dancing like the Macarenia. The girls thought it was the best night ever."

Click here to view a slideshow of the night.