The post-holiday season is not without opportunities to have fun for a good cause. Jan. 17 will see the sixth annual Personal and Family Counseling Services Masquerade Ball at Union Country Club in Dover. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m.
The ball began as an auxiliary fundraising program according to Pamela Trimmer, executive director at PFCS A committee of local people outside the agency staff met to come up with a new way to raise funds. The committee came up with the idea for a ball, and it has worked out very well, Trimmer said.
The event raises around $14,000 annually for PFCS, which serves residents in Tuscarawas and Carroll Counties. Funds raised through the Masquerade Ball afford the agency discretion in how the money is spent. Most of our funding comes to us already designated for a specific purpose, Trimmer said. Funds from this event can be used for any of the programs offered by PFCS, and we are able to provide money for services not covered by other funding sources.
The ball is semi-formal, and meant to be a fun evening. There is no need to worry about not having the right thing to wear, Trimmer said. We see women in gowns or cocktail dresses, men in suits, business casual and tuxes. Masks are sold at the door, but Trimmer said many who make it a point to attend the gala event annually wear a special mask they have discovered during the year. Some people who have traveled abroad buy masks to wear to the ball. Others make their own creations. They really get into it.
The ball includes a sit-down dinner, dancing, cash bar and a benefit auction. We will have several gift baskets, a jackpot drawing, gift cards in sealed envelopes valued at $25 or more for a $20 donation and other items, Trimmer said. Mobile Jams Entertainment will provide music. A brief presentation about PFCS services will be included.
Personal and Family Counseling Service saw a merger with Ohio Guidestone in 2013, expanding the agencys client offerings. Eight such additions were made recently. PFCS offers drug, alcohol and mental health treatment on an outpatient basis. In-home and school-based programs reach out to the community, and a drug and alcohol abuse prevention program seeks to educate students at the elementary level. A Help Me Grow program helps new or expectant parents feel more confident in their new roles, while Parent Mentoring addresses specific problems within families with children.
Harbor House domestic violence shelter is under the PFCS umbrella. Trimmer said a golf outing fundraiser in July helps to fund Harbor House.
The masquerade Ball is open to the public. It really is a lot of fun, and many people work hard to make it a great evening.
Tickets are $45 per person and are available from PFCS offices. Call 330-343-8171 for ticket information. Union Country Club is located at 1000 N. Bellevue Ave. in Dover.
