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Happily Single And Mingling

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By LAURA CONE The Sun

Published: March 4, 2009

By age 24, some women are already anxious about their marriage prospects. In the past 24 years, Barbara "Babs" Cominoli of Sun City Center had three marriage proposals and turned them all down.

Cominoli, who lost her husband 24 years ago, is still saving her last dance. She stays active in the Sun City Center singles dance clubs where she meets friends of both gender.

"I've been single by choice," said Cominoli, who is dating her dance partner, Milton Olson. She met Olson, who lives in Freedom Plaza, at one of the single dances two years ago. "I have had three proposals in the past 24 years but I usually break off the association because I just feel like I don't want to be married again. I kind of panic."

Single men and women living in Kings Point and Sun City Center spend time together on the dance floors. They do the fox trot, waltzes, swing and ball room dances as well as line dancing.

Women typically outnumber the men at the dances, including the recent Valentine's Day Singles Mingles dance. Line dancing gives many of the women who have not had the chance to dance, an opportunity to join in the fun.

"I've met a lot of new people," Cominoli said. "To be able to go and call people by their first name is enjoyable."

The same crowd of singles men and women usually dance during the Singles Mingles events in Kings Point and the Sun City Center Singles Social Dance club.

"As you get older, there are always more women," she said. "It's a fact of life. Women live longer than men and a lot of men don't come out. They stay home. Women are more apt to do so (go dancing)."

Alberta Dieringer of Sun City Center, who leads the Singles Mingles group, said the social singles groups are a resource for lonely people who are not necessarily looking for love. Many are just interested in companionship.

She said members from the group went on a gambling cruise a few times. They also have had covered dish potluck parties and mixers.

Dieringer's husband passed away in 1990. She said the Singles Mingles group formed nine years ago.

"There are a lot of people who have gotten together," Dieringer said. "Some have married and some have not. I've met a dancing partner."

During the group's recent Valentine's Day dance, Joe Ambriano and Lorraine Pinette were crowed the king and queen of the dance.

"A lot of people enjoy it," Dieringer said. "We have more single women than we do men. I never realized it, but men are shy. They don't like to be turned down but a woman does not either."
Dieringer said the group keeps her staying active even though she had to be hospitalized after she injured herself during a recent dance.

"They keep me going," she said.

For more information on the group, call Alberta Dieringer at (813) 624-3081.

Editor Laura Cone may be reached at lcone@mediageneral.com.

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