Questions For: Hank Vanmeesen 

NEW TIMES Where is the dance club held?

VANMEESEN We hold our meetings every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Vet’s Hall in Morro Bay, on Surf Street. It only costs $6, and we offer live music and free coffee.

NEW TIMES Do you have the same band come in every week?

VANMEESEN Yeah. There are about four or five people in the band. We have a really good bass player, a really good keyboard player, and an amazing female singer.

NEW TIMES What kind of crowd shows up to your events?

VANMEESEN The club is for people ages 39 and over, but more people over the age of 50 show up. Both couples and singles like to stop by. As a matter a fact, I met my third girlfriend here.

NEW TIMES How long has the 39+ Dance Club been around?

VANMEESEN We’ve been going strong for 30 years now. In Pismo, they have a similar club that meets every second Monday of the month. Over there, it costs $5. In Morro, we used to charge $5, but we have to pay to rent the hall, so we had to raise our price. It was only a dollar, but could have been worse.

NEW TIMES Can people bring in a lunch, or are refreshments offered?

VANMEESEN Oh, of course. People can bring in some goodies if they would like. We have an area where they could prepare and eat their snacks. Usually once a month we have a “salad” day, which is kind of like a potluck. Everyone brings in something to share with the others. It’s really fun.

NEW TIMES How long does each club meeting last?

VANMEESEN You can come in and dance for three hours. Many love to stop by to dance, socialize, drink some free coffee, or just relax. It is well worth the $6.