THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 3, 1995 TAG: 9503010208
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
THE CHESAPEAKE General Hospital Auxiliary's Hospital Ball will have a Far-Eastern flavor this year.
The annual event will take place March 18, at the Holiday Inn-Chesapeake.
Organizers of this year's ball want to take couples on a fantasy tour to the land of paper lanterns and lion dancers. ``Far East Fantasy'' is the theme of the event, which will include entertainment with an Asian flavor and food to match.
Officers of the auxiliary are hoping young couples will make the ball a local tradition, the way it was when the gala dance was considered the social event of the year.
``It was the highlight of Chesapeake events,'' said Mildred Barber, hospital ball committee treasurer. ``Now we're looking for new faces to replace the old guard, who always supported the ball.''
The fancy dress affair was started by the auxiliary in 1975 in order to raise money to buy equipment for the hospital. This year the funds raised by the ball will be used to benefit the hospital's new Cancer Treatment Center, which will open soon.
``In the past, we've always raised money to be used by the hospital in general,'' Barber said. ``This is the first year we've dedicated the funds for a specific part of the hospital.''
Past balls were held at local armories, Moose Lodges, community centers and even venues outside the city and featured auxiliary members bringing in handmade cheese balls and buckets of fried chicken from local franchises.
Not any more, ball committee members say.
``Nowadays we have better foods than cheese balls,'' said Dorothea Wadsworth, past auxiliary president.
To attract more people to the ball in light of so many other competing events in and around the city, the entire event has been upgraded.
``A lot of value and quality has been added to the ball,'' said this year's event chairman, Gladys Wilfore. ``Committee volunteers have worked hard to make sure the event can compete with others in the region.''
Now it's held at the Holiday Inn and features carefully planned themes, food and entertainment, Barber added. Although last year's ball saw no discernible newcomers, Barber is already heartened by the early response for this year's event.
``So far we're getting good response for both advance tickets and donations,'' Barber said. ``I'm seeing several newcomers and several from out of the city supporting us.''
For 1995, the ball committee decided to transport couples to an Asian Shangri-La with its ``Far East Fantasy'' theme.
``We're always looking at new ideas for the ball,'' Barber said. ``We have two Asian-American members on the auxiliary to make sure the theme and the decorations are authentic.''
The event will begin with the traditional champagne reception at 6:30 p.m. which will include music with a Far Eastern flavor.
Entertainment will be provided by harpist Hye-Yun Chung Bennett of Norfolk, who will enliven the evening with songs and sounds from Korea, China and Japan.
After the reception, guests will dine on chicken breast Oriental or London broil teriyaki.
``Last year was our first sit-down dinner, and we all thought it went very well,'' Barber said. ``Everybody was so pleased with it we voted to hold another one this year. We feel it gives the evening an extra special touch.''
After dinner, guests will be further entertained by lion dancers from the Chinese Community Center. The evening will end with dancing to the music of the popular group Hotcakes. MEMO: Tickets are $60 per person, $120 per couple or $480 for a table of
eight. More information and tickets are available by calling 420-7246,
482-3722 or 420-2156.
by CNB