In honor of Valentine’s Day, the Student Council for Exceptional Children is sponsoring its first annual Valentine’s Dance for people with both mental and physical disabilities in the Charleston community, said Zuica Donev, SCEC president.

The dance will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

SCEC has about 60 members, mainly special education and elementary education majors.

Donev got the idea for the Valentine’s dance from a convention she attended. “We just wanted to do a little extra for the people of this community,” Donev said.

About 70 people were invited to the dance, including 35 volunteers and 35 from the campus and Charleston community; however, the dance is open to anyone who wants to attend, including community members from small children to senior citizens, she said.

This is an opportunity for people of all ages to get together and have a party in honor of Valentine’s Day, Donev said.

“Anyone is welcome to come and stop by to dance,” Donev said.

Refreshments will be provided by money earned from SCEC fund raisers, and a local DJ is donating his time for the cause.

“It’s something you can say, hey I helped out with this dance,” said Donev.