In celebration of the Mardi Gras season and to help raise funds for its work in among community youth, the Children’s Welfare League in Asheville will host its annual Mardi Gras Ball and Auction on Saturday, February 13 at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Asheville, from 6 p.m. until midnight.
Complimentary cocktails will be served to attendees from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m., followed by the silent auction and dinner. Following dinner, a live auction and raffle drawing will take place, with a night of dancing and music provided by Black and Blue afterwards.
Among this year’s auction items are two tickets to a Carolina Panthers 2016 home game, lunch and a round of golf for four at Omni Grove Park Inn, a four-night family getaway to “Stone’s Throw” in Blowing Rock and a dinner for six with Chestnut Restaurant’s Chef Joe Mitchell, along with many other items. A preview list of auction items can be found at cwl-asheville.ejoinme.org/auctionpreview.
“Auction items are from businesses and individuals from the entire community,” says Amanda Bryant, a marketing representative with the League’s Ways and Means Committee. “From football tickets to vacations across the country, spa packages and local art — truly a whole community effort.”
The cost of attendance to the Mardi Gras Ball and Auction is $125 per person, with various patron levels available. All donations are tax-deductible. Attire is costume or black tie optional.
Tickets to the Mardi Gras Ball are still available online at cwl-asheville.ejoinme.org/mardigras2016 before Feb. 13 and by phone at (828) 775-1012 the day of the event. For those who can’t attend but wold like to support the work of the Children’s Welfare League, donations can be made online at cwl-asheville.ejoinme.org.
All proceeds from the event will go to benefit the Children’s Welfare League’s Monthly Stipend Program for high school students, scholarships to A-B Tech and UNC-Asheville, and the “Save Our Students” Emergency Fund.
“Currently we provide monthly stipends for approximately 222 students in Asheville City and Buncombe county,” notes Bryant. Originally founded in 1926, the Children’s Welfare League works with counselors from both city and county schools to alleviate some of the cost burdens of students who are in good academic standing but are experiencing financial difficulties that may jeopardize their educational goals.
“The students in our programs face overwhelming obstacles to staying in school — illness, abandonment, homelessness, poverty and more — yet they maintain good grades, graduate and very often go on to higher education” she says. Through initiatives like Save Our Students, the League is able to support students in times of crisis or financial need, providing tuition assistance, coverage of conference or field trip fees, clothing and school supplies.
“In 2014-2015 we distributed over $10,000 to students through their counselors and social workers,” reports Bryant, including funding for things like an alarm clock for a hearing-impaired student and a used bike for another so the student could get to a crucial part-time job.
In addition, the CWL partners with A-B Tech, UNC-Asheville and other community donors to offer several scholarships for cash-strapped students seeking to enter higher education, including a 100,000 endowment with A-B Tech that supports four students annually, a 25,000 dollar scholarship to UNC-A for first-generation college entrants from Buncombe County and the Connecting Opportunities for Regional Excellence (CORE) Scholarship, which helps students transition from A-B Tech to UNC-A.
“The need is great,” Bryant says. “There is a waiting list at every school for participation in [our] programs. With additional funds we are able to support additional students and to contribute more funds to our scholarship endowments.”
For more information on the Children’s Welfare League of Asheville, it’s work with local students and the Mardi Gras Ball and Auction, visit cwl-asheville.org.
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