Graduating students hope to keep event going every year
Benefit events are anything but rare in Washington, where philanthropists and politicians get dolled up and donate to all sorts of causes and charities.
After Alex Facciobene, a fourth-year finance student, and a few friends went to the Capitol Ball there and saw how successful the model was, they dreamed up the Carolina Ball, an annual event to raise money for a South Carolina cause they found worthy.
Last year, the first Carolina Ball brought in 250 attendees and $15,000 in ticket sales, which was donated to Palmetto Health.
This year, the cause is even closer to the USC community.
The proceeds from this year’s ball will go to Martha Childress, the first-year business student who was paralyzed when she was struck by a stray bullet in Five Points last fall.
This Friday, 701 Whaley will put on the ritz with a full open bar, light hors d’oeuvres and live music for $40 per ticket. Facciobene said they decided to bring ticket costs down from since college students are their main audience.
Facciobene has worked with fourth-year sport and entertainment management student Tyler Winters, fourth-year finance student Brett Bowman and fourth-year finance student Beau Dorton since last year to plan the event they hope will become an annual gathering.
Ron Johnson, Childress’ stepfather, said Martha and her family were thrilled when they were approached a few months ago with the idea of holding the ball in Martha’s honor.
“They wanted to find a worthwhile charitable recipient for their second ball and said they were touched by Martha’s story,” Johnson said, “so we said that’d be wonderful.”
Childress is getting excited for Friday, Johnson said, especially after she went and got a new dress for the occasion.
Last year, the event was restricted to those over 21 years old, but the organizers decided to change that this year so Childress and her friends could come and enjoy the event as well.
Facciobene said the founders have been working closely with the Five Points Association, which encompasses several businesses in Five Points, many of which have agreed to donate to the cause.
Events have been planned throughout the week to sell as many tickets as possible in order to get as close as possible to the 600 ticket goal, Facciobene said.
Tickets will be raffled off at Pinch’s bingo night Wednesday, and Breaker’s will offer drink specials with the purchase of a ticket Thursday night.
And in order to increase the size of the contribution to the Childress family, the group became a registered non-profit in South Carolina, which allows them to accept tax-deductible donations, Facciobene said.
Johnson said the donations raised by the ball will help offset the cost of a car Childress family has purchased that she’ll be able to drive.
Childress plans to return to USC for the fall semester; Johnson said they’ve already paid the deposit and found a four-bedroom, handicap-accessible house for her. Since all four Carolina Ball founders are planning to graduate this year, they found themselves recruiting younger students to carry on the legacy they hope to leave.
“We want to instill a sense of giving to people early,” Facciobene said. “It’ll give them a starting point for being generous and donating throughout their life.”
But for their last year at USC, Facciobene said that after all of the planning, he and his friends are looking forward to their second ball.
“We think that it’s better to have an event where people can go and have fun while they’re supporting a good cause,” Facciobene said. “If you’re having a good time, it’s going to be memorable.”