TRC hosting Toys for Tots Charity Ball

Again this year, organizers of Chautauqua County's U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots drive will kick off their fund-raising efforts with a charity ball featuring a dance contest.

The second annual Toys for Tots Kickoff Charity Ball will be held Saturday, October 4, at the Chautauqua Suites Meeting and Expo Center in Mayville. The event will feature a "Dancing for the Stars" competition that is open to anyone attending the ball.

The competition's name is a take on the Dancing with the Stars television program. "The 'stars' are the children who will receive gifts through Toys for Tots," said Michael Volk, The Resource Center's director of employment services.

For the contest, people are required to choreograph a two-minute dance segment. For a signup form or more information, call The Resource Center at 661-1433.

TRC has organized the Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots drive since 2001. Every year, the number of Chautauqua County children receiving toys through the charitable effort has grown, with 2,093 children being assisted last year. Organizers expect to top that total this year, which means they'll be relying more than ever on the community's generosity to help raise the money needed to purchase toys for all of the children on the list. So they decided to start their fund-raising efforts early and to do so in style by holding the charity ball.

The evening will begin at 6:00 with hors d'oeuvres, followed by dinner at 7:00. After dinner, the Dancing for the Stars competition will be held. Volk emphasized that the contest is supposed to be fun and that people of any dancing ability can take part. The audience will assist in determining the winners.

Following the competition and a dance exhibition by Top Hat and Cain (Guys and Dolls Dance Studio owner Laura Cimino and her husband, Raymond Cain), everyone is invited to dance the night away.

The event will be sponsored by The Resource Center and Guys and Dolls. The cost of the evening is $40 per person; tickets are available through The Resource Center and Guys and Dolls. Those who bring a donation of a new, unwrapped toy will be entered into a prize drawing. There also will be a silent auction.

Jim and Lois Lindell of Lakewood, NY, will be looking to defend their title at the "Dancing for the Stars" dance contest during the second annual Toys for Tots Kickoff Charity Ball on October 4.

Comment

Every year, the number of children registered for Toys for Tots increases. Without the public's donations of toys, TRC would not be able to reach its goal: two presents for every child. Toys for Tots benefits children up to age 17, and while the community generously donates thousands of toys every year, TRC always comes up short in some age groups – usually infants and older teen-agers. We also are seeking businesses and organizations willing to collect toys at their locations. To learn how you can support our Toys for Tots drive, contact Mike Volk at 661-1433 or trcesmv@windstream.net.