Akron Children’s Hospital Women’s Board postpones Charity Ball

06-22-2020 (Akron, Ohio )

The Akron Children’s Hospital Women’s Board has postponed its 118^th Charity Ball, originally scheduled to take place on Dec. 29, 2020 at E.J. Thomas Hall, due to continuing concerns about COVID-19 and large social gatherings. 

“We hope the conditions are more favorable for large community celebrations next year so this great Akron tradition can continue,” said Tammy Gersman, president of the Akron Children’s Hospital Women Board. “Commitment to community volunteerism is valued by the Women’s Board, and we look forward to highlighting these families’ impact.”

The proposed new date for the Charity Ball is Wednesday, December 29, 2021 and will feature a combined class of debutantes from 2020 and 2021

Debutantes are selected in recognition of their parents’ and grandparents’ volunteer support of the Greater Akron community.

The Mary Day Nursery, the predecessor to Akron Children’s Hospital, opened in 1890 and held its first Mary Day Nursery Ball was on Dec. 18, 1895 to raise money for the nursery and kindergarten. To highlight the women’s board commitment to service, the third ball, in 1897, was renamed the “Charity Ball” and has remained a community tradition (except for an eight-year hiatus in the early years). To promote future female leaders and celebrate their families’ contributions to the region, the presentation of the debutantes was added in 1951.