The Akron Children's Hospital Women's Board Presents:
Charity Ball
One of Akron’s oldest traditions, the Akron Children's Women's Board Charity Ball is a grand event that recognizes and honors the participating families for their commitment to the community. The honorees are presented to an audience that includes family and friends of the honoree, as well as the region’s civic, health, business and philanthropic leaders. Since its inception in 1895, the Charity Ball has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and allows the Women's Board to provide services and fund programs in support of the Hospital’s 3 promises: to treat every child as we would our own; to treat others as they would like to be treated; and to turn no child away for any reason.
The 120th Charity Ball will be held
Friday, December 29, 2023
at 6 p.m. at the
University of Akron's
EJ Thomas Hall
Why Charity Ball?
Why Charity Ball? Charity... A Tradition of almost 130 years... Giving Back to the Community... Honoring of Community Service... Volunteerism and Philanthropy... A MAGICAL NIGHT of dancing, family and fun!
The night of Charity Ball is about celebrating family while raising money for Akron Children’s. Our goal is to honor families that have given back to our community. The spirit of giving is what makes this evening one of a kind and worth attending. Parents and grandparents of these young women have dedicated many volunteer hours which has made a difference in our greater Akron area. These generous gifts of time and resources continue to provide comfort and hope. It is our hope that the young women being represented will continue the spirit of volunteerism their families have already demonstrated.
The Charity Ball expresses, acknowledges and pulls together the best in all of us - Charity, Tradition, Community, Service, Philanthropy, Volunteerism, Family and Fun!
Congratulations to the 120th Charity Ball Honorees:
- Tera Brilmyer
- Mia Clark
- Anna Conrad
- Ava Dannemiller
- Elle Dannermiller
- Kathryn Figler
- Ryen Fitzwater
- Sophia Frammartino
- Zoe Graham
- Mary Hanlon
- Lauren Hobe
- Lydia Kefalas
- Allison Malick
- Lauren Mercer
- Molly Moshier
- Giana Mutersbaugh
- Lydia Peterson
- Molly Scanlon
- Madison Tomei
- Marissa White
- Paige Yu
Honoree Service Project - Project Linus
In the spirit of service, the Charity Ball honorees participate in a group project to benefit Akron Children’s. This year, honorees will create blankets for Project Linus, a nationwide, non-profit organization whose mission is to provide new, handmade blankets to children in need.
Thanks to the many generous and creative volunteers, the Akron-area chapter of Project Linus has provided more than 70,000 gifts of warmth and security to children in our community, including patients at Akron Children’s.
The History of The Charity Ball
For nearly 130 years, the Charity Ball event has helped the Women's Board raise funds to support patient care and research programs at Akron Children’s.
The Charity Ball is an Akron tradition that began in 1895. The event celebrates and honors local families for giving back to the greater Akron community through generations of volunteerism and philanthropy. With the exception of an eight-year hiatus from 1900-1907 and a global pandemic in 2020, the Charity Ball has continued to honor families in this unique and time-honored tradition.
High school graduates whose families have been instrumental in the founding, maintaining and serving of the greater Akron community are selected to participate in the Charity Ball. In 1951, the event began presenting debutantes/honorees to the community (originally called the cotillion) and it has become a highlight of the evening. The presentation is a moment of great pride for each girl as she is announced and takes a bow alongside her presenter. The moment provides an unmatched level of excitement for the family – parents, siblings, grandparents and friends – as it highlights the past and hopes to inspire the next generation of philanthropy and service.
The original purpose of the Charity Ball was to raise money to help operate and sustain the Mary Day Nursery (now Akron Children's). The Charity Ball has gone on to provide more than a century of fundraising to support the hospital in a number of ways - from providing essential linens and towels in the early days to establishing and modernizing departments such as Ear, Nose and Throat, Lab and X-ray and Burn Center, as well as funding expenses for a variety of department needs, hospital equipment and building expansion.
Charity Ball Sponsors
This year's sponsors are still rolling in -- won't you join them?
Gold Level Sponsors
Hanna, Campbell & Powell, LLP
Mark and Christina Grescovich
Dr. Costas H Kefalas and Dr. Sarah Babai
Sarah and Gregory Rossi
Bronze Level Sponsors
Baumgardner Products Company
GPD Group
Hasenstab Architects, Inc.
Kevin and Jamie Malick
The Maynard Family Foundation
S. A. Comunale Company, Inc.
James Burgess and Theresa Johnson
Silver Level Sponsors
Deidre Hanlon and Ron George
Polymer Valley Chemicals, Inc
Grand Patrons
Patrons
Other Sponsors
Become a Charity Ball Sponsor
The Akron Children's Women's Board welcomes individual and company sponsorships to support the 2023 Charity Ball. The funds raised through Charity Ball go directly towards patient care and research programs at Akron Children's, which continues to rank among the top pediatric care facilities in the nation.
Through your sponsorship, we can help Akron Children's continue its work of improving child health and broadening access to quality patient care for any child in our region, regardless of a family's ability to pay. Deadline is Dec. 4.
$25,000 Premier Sponsor
- Premier Sponsor recognition with name in program
- Premier Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation January issue of Developments enewsletter
- Premier Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation donor screens inside the hospital
- Premier Sponsor recognition with name on the Charity Ball web page of the Akron Children's website
- Name prominently displayed at the Charity Ball
- Premier Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation social media channels (Instagram and Facebook)
$10,000 Gold Sponsor
- Gold Sponsor recognition with name in program
- Gold Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation January issue of Developments enewsletter
- Gold Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation donor screens inside the hospital
- Gold Sponsor recognition with name on the Charity Ball web page of the Akron Children's website
- Name prominently displayed at the Charity Ball
- Gold Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation social media channels (Instagram and Facebook)
$5,000 Silver Sponsor
- Silver Sponsor recognition with name in program
- Silver Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation January issue of Developments enewsletter
- Silver Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation donor screens inside the hospital
- Silver Sponsor recognition with name on the Charity Ball web page of the Akron Children's website
- Name prominently displayed at the Charity Ball
- Silver Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation social media channels (Instagram and Facebook)
$2,500 Bronze Sponsor
- Bronze Sponsor recognition with name in program
- Bronze Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation January issue of Developments enewsletter
- Bronze Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Foundation donor screens inside the hospital
- Bronze Sponsor recognition with name on the Charity Ball web page of the Akron Children's website
- Name prominently displayed at the Charity Ball
Please contact the Charity Ball Chairperson, Sarah Rossi, at womensboard@akronchildrens.org for more information. You can also use our online form.
