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The Akron Children's Hospital Women's Board Presents:

Charity Ball

One of Akron’s oldest traditions, the Women's Board of Akron Children's Hospital Charity Ball is a cotillion that recognizes and honors the participating families for their commitment to the community. The debutantes are presented to an audience that includes family and friends of the debutante, 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 119th Charity Ball was held
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
at 6 p.m. at the
University of Akron's
EJ Thomas Hall

Learn About Sponsorships
Individual and company sponsorships are available Learn About Sponsorships
The Women's Board
Dedicated to the support, protection and welfare of children Learn more...
The History Of The Charity Ball
A tradition that began in 1895 More about our history
The Debutantes
Selected in recognition of their parents and grandparents gifts Meet the Debutantes

Charity Ball Father Presenting Daughter

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 Hospital. 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 119th Charity Ball Debutantes:

  • Lauren Ainsley Blue
  • Jessica Suzanne Borland
  • Olivia Grace Lakhani Boyer
  • Julia Rose Cheney
  • Carly Hunter Conrad
  • Ella Rose DiPaola
  • Amy Joan Downing
  • Katherine Diane Downing
  • Natalie Isabella Fisher
  • Brooke Morgan Grosenbaugh
  • Taylor Elizabeth Grosenbaugh

 

  • Reagan Lynn Jackson
  • Mia Rose Khayyat
  • Kaitlyn Marie Kuchar
  • Bianca Reese Milovancev
  • Emma Renee Moore
  • Elizabeth Sommer-Rose Oberhaus
  • Olivia Christine Papouras
  • Colleen Marie Reagan
  • Caroline Grace Richardson
  • Madeline Rose Silver

 

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Debutante Service Project - Project Linus

In the spirit of service, the Charity Ball debutantes participate in a group project to benefit Akron Children’s Hospital. This year, debutantes 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 Hospital.

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Charity Ball 1950s

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 Hospital.

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 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 Hospital). 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.

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Thank you, 118th Charity Ball Sponsors

Gold Level Sponsors

Kyle and Missy Cheney/Deloitte & Touche LLP
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Rossi

Bronze Level Sponsors

Bob and Susan Berk
Hanna, Campbell & Powell, LLP
Hasenstab Architects, Inc.
Ed and Jennifer Kuchar
J.W. Didado Electric
Stan and Anne Milovancev
Pleasant Valley Corporation
The Ruhlin Company

Silver Level Sponsors

Kyle and Missy Cheney
Leland D. and Mary C. Cole Charitable Fund
Elizabeth and Fuad Khayyat
William and Julia Papouras
Kevin and Denise Schaffner

Grand Patrons

Parker and Sally Berry
William and Rebecca Considine
Julie Deane
Jane and Chris Gessner
Victor and Kathy Lane
Pat and Walt Silver
Peg and Earl Stalter
G. Stephens, Inc.
Dr. Joseph and Barbara Varley

Patrons

Bradley and Amy Bowers
Jill Burnstine
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel J. DiPaola, III
Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Grant
Laura and Chip Preston
Stan and Kathy Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Bill and Nancy Terrill

Other Sponsors

EYEMG.com
1st American Courier
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Altman
Michael and Lisa Marchetta
David Rutledge and Nancy Grau Rutledge
 


Become a Charity Ball Sponsor

The Akron Children's Hospital Women's Board welcomes individual and company sponsorships to support the 2022 Charity Ball. The funds raised through Charity Ball go directly towards patient care and research programs at Akron Children's Hospital, 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.   

$25,000 Premier Sponsor

  • Premier Sponsor recognition with name in program
  • Premier Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Hospital Foundation January issue of Developments enewsletter
  • Premier Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Hospital 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 Hospital 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 Hospital Foundation January issue of Developments enewsletter
  • Gold Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Hospital 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 Hospital 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 Hospital Foundation January issue of Developments enewsletter
  • Silver Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Hospital 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 Hospital 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 Hospital Foundation January issue of Developments enewsletter
  • Bronze Sponsor recognition in Akron Children's Hospital 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

Learn more about sponsorships

Please contact the Charity Ball Chairperson, Denise Schaffner, at denise4schaffners@gmail.com for more information. You can also use our online form.

Photo Credits: Akron Beacon Journal and the Ohio Historical Society.
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