Aurora Mayor Richard J. Irvin (center) celebrates during the city’s first 1 & 100 Birthday Celebration, honoring those turning 1-year-old and those who have lived to the centennial mark at Prisco Community Center in Aurora on July 25. (Photo by Erika Wurst / for Chronicle Media)

Aurora celebrated it’s youngest and oldest residents with a party for the ages last week during the city’s first 1 & 100 Birthday Celebration.

Residents who turned 1-year-old during the first six months of the 2017 mingled with the city’s centenarians, eating cakes, playing with clowns and celebrating life at all stages.

“When (Mayor Richard Irvin) was first elected, one of the first things he said was that he wanted to focus on the youth and seniors,” said Aurora City Spokesman Clayton Muhammed. “What better way to do that than to honor the eldest and youngest in our community?”

They city reached out to local nursing facilities and families who have loved ones or residents who are at least 100 years old. Those residents were invited to July 25’s celebration at the Prisco Center in Aurora where they would receive much more than a simple “Happy Birthday” from the Mayor.

Instead, each centenarian was given the gift of a proclamation. From here on out in Aurora, each centenarian’s birth date will be named after him or her.

Aurora reached out to local nursing facilities and families who have loved ones or residents who are over 100 years old and those residents were invited to a July 25 birthday celebration at the Prisco Community Center in Aurora. (Photo by Erika Wurst / for Chronicle Media)

The senior’s faces, framed by paper party hats, lit up as the Mayor gave the dedications, along several other gifts wrapped in colorful paper.

Seniors, wielding canes and wheel chairs, also donned clown noses and took photos with Mickey Mouse who was on hand to entertain.

They smiled widely at their teeny-tiny counterparts who were also excited about their celebration.

Wearing tutus and tiaras, little girls waddled around the room, entertaining their parents and other guests.

Cupcake frosting decorated the faces of dozens of toddlers who were invited to take part in the inaugural event.

“As I’ve traveled throughout the city these past couple of months, I’ve met some amazing centenarians who are full of wit and wisdom,” Irvin said of his reason behind hosting the party. “We want to honor our elders and our young ones at the same time. From those who are celebrating their first year to those who are celebrating their first century, we are one Aurora.”

More than 40 1-year-olds and 9 centenarians were honored at the 1 & 100 Birthday Celebration at Prisco Community Center in Aurora on July 25. (Photo by Erika Wurst / for Chronicle Media)

More than 40 1-year-olds and 9 centenarians were honored at the celebration, an event Irvin said he hopes to hold every year.

“We are one Aurora, ” Irvin said before hundreds of colorful balloons fell on the crowd of guests. “Whether you’re one or 100, we are one community and we need to take care of all our community.”

— Aurora celebrates youth, elders at 1 & 100 Birthday Party —