By LETRE SWEETING
lsweeting@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Red Cross Society is looking to double its proceeds for this year’s ball after two years without its largest fundraiser and the organisation encouraging the public to support.
The Red Cross’ president Terez Curry announced the return of the organisation’s largest fundraiser at a press conference yesterday. After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, the 49th annual Red Cross Ball will be returning with BTC as the title sponsor.
The ball will be held on January 28 at the Grand Ballroom at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island. The theme for this year’s ball is “Ballin’ Lights, Camera, Action”.
“The ball has been absent for the last two years due to the pandemic. And so we are extremely excited to have the ball again come the last Saturday of this month. The ball is our largest fundraiser that is supported by our corporate community mainly. And so we wish to encourage the corporate Bahamas to support the ball once again. The funds raised from the ball will go towards all of our programmes,” Ms Curry said.
“We anticipate a successful ball as we look to corporate Bahamas and individuals alike at the length and breadth of The Bahamas to attend the ball to dress to impress this, we are ‘Ballin’ Lights, Camera Action,’” she said.
“So we are making a movie here as the young people would say, and so be ready, be dressed to impress, come and support the Bahamas Red Cross Society for the initiatives that we are undertaking here to help all of our communities through the length and breadth of this country,” Ms Curry said.
The last ball in January of 2020 saw proceeds totaling $110,000. This year, with a capacity for 600 persons for the ball and tickets at $275, Ms Curry said she hopes the ball’s proceeds can double what was made two years ago.
“For the ball, our target figure is I think we are looking at $200,000 from the ball net. The last ball netting was at $110,000. And so we’re looking to increase that,” she said.
With an overall budget of $2.5m for all of its programmes and initiatives, Ms Curry said the Red Cross can never have “enough” support.
“So that’s where we reside and $2.5m is minimal, but that’s what we try to work with and try to raise. It’s never enough because the needs of the country are great. Whether it is in fundraising, not all of that comes from fundraising, also from our donation requests from various areas in the community, corporate sector and second-homeowners and also internationally,” she said.
BTC representative Carol Barnett said as title sponsor for the ball this year, BTC’s support of the Red Cross has and will continue.
“This is not the first time that we have been the title sponsor of the Red Cross Ball. And I’m sure it’s not going to be the last. We have supported the Red Cross with so many initiatives. And this is something that’s near and dear to us,” Ms Barnett said.
This year’s Red Cross Ball will commence with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Pop Band providing music during the cocktail hour. Then, at dinner, the Royal Bahamas Police Force Pop Band will provide entertainment. Following dinner, entertainment will come from other local VIP entertainers.
Individual tickets for the ball are $275 each and can be purchased at the Red Cross Society on John F Kennedy Drive.
Varying levels of tables including many amenities are also available for purchase for the ball. Platinum tables are $7,500, gold tables are $5,000 and regular tables are $2,750.
Programmes and initiatives the Red Cross is working on this year include Meals on Wheels, a backyard farming initiative, a mental health initiative, and a climate change initiative which was started last year with a partnership with the Nature Conservancy.
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