You may be too old to trick-or-treat, but that doesn’t have to stop you from dressing up and acting like a kid.
The ninth annual Halloween Charity Ball, presented by Summa Western Reserve Hospital, is Friday at Tangier in Akron. It’s certain to draw lots of witches, ghouls and mystical fairy-tale characters — all to benefit the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties and Spring Garden Waldorf School.
Four young professionals plan, operate and host the event: Getta Cornici, court advocate at the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties; Samantha Franchino, marketing teacher at Barberton High School; Krista McNeely, direct service advocate at the Rape Crisis Center of Summit and Medina Counties; and Katie Greenwald, account manager at Hitchcock Fleming & Associates.
“We really enjoy putting on this event and giving back to the community and who better to do that with than your closest girlfriends?” said Franchino.
Over the years, the Halloween Charity Ball has raised money for organizations such as Barberton DECA, Akron Public Schools, OPEN M Clinic and the Rape Crisis Center.
The Andrea Rose Teodosio Memorial Foundation has already been named as one of two nonprofits to benefit from the event next year. Andrea, whose parents are Summit County judges, died in February 2011 after a skiing accident at Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort in central West Virginia.
Last year, the ball raised $22,000. This year the goal is $25,000 or more.
“We had nearly 600 [guests] last year. Every year it gets bigger and bigger,” Cornici said.
This year’s ball, with all of its glitz and glitter, is expected to draw about 700 attendees. And though costumes aren’t mandatory, those not wearing them are likely to feel out of place.
“Everybody dresses up,” Cornici said, grinning. “And what’s really cool about this party is it has a wide audience. Those who come are anywhere between 21 to 65.”
Kim Hone-McMahan can be reached at 330-996-3742 or kmcmahan@thebeaconjournal.com.
