It might be missing the mice and glass slippers, but it's just in time for pumpkins. The first annual Maple Leaf Ball, a "premiere festive benefit…
It might be missing the mice and glass slippers, but it’s just in time for pumpkins.
The first annual Maple Leaf Ball, a “premiere festive benefit for this autumn season,” will kick off its first year in scenic Claridon Township Oct. 25, said Maggie Major, of Sheoga Hardwood Flooring and Paneling.
“It is honoring Sheoga Hardwood Flooring and Steve Trudick, who is our main shareholder, and Debra Hershey Guren, president and CEO at The Hershey Foundation,” Major said prior to a recent candidates night in Burton. “Very, very distinguished individuals of our community, and we’re very happy to be able to do that for them.”
Door open at 6 p.m. for event, which will be held at the Mandel Jewish Community Center Camp Wise at 13164 Taylor Wells Road and include a live band, dancing, cocktails and auctions.
Major said she never knew the camp existed until they were scouring the area for a venue to hold the event.
“It is quite beautiful and it is right here in our community, and we’re very happy to have them open their arms to us to hold this beautiful autumn evening,” she said.
It will be a “resplendent venue for attendees and their guests,” Major said in a statement.
“The campus captures all the elegance of this fall fest, with a virtual arboretum of brilliant turning fall leaves, the scents of roasting walnuts and sounds of nocturnal nature,” she added.
The event will benefit three nonprofit charitable organizations: the Burton Chamber of Commerce, the Basal Cell Carcinoma Nevus Syndrome Life Support Network and Mandel JCC Camp Wise.
According to event organizers, the BCCNS is the only nonprofit patient advocacy organization in North America dedicated to supporting families with BCCNS, which is a rare genetic condition caused by a mutation on Chromosome 9 that affects the way cells develop and grow. Individuals with BCCNS may develop multiple basal cell carcinomas (skin cancers), jaw cysts, pits on the palms and soles, cleft lip or palate, seizures, skeletal deformations, brain cancer, and various tumors.
Mandel JCC Camp Wise provides “a friendly, supportive and cooperative atmosphere that fosters individual growth at each camper’s own pace.” Campers are encouraged to learn new skills and master old ones, to make decisions, to take responsibility, to be expressive, to live with others and to have fun.
“It’s a hidden gem,” community organizer Kristi Schmitt Burr said. “They have a wonderful campground back there and they do sublet it to organizations who want to use it. It’s interesting because all the band camps from the schools that are local go all the way to the west side of Cleveland for band camp. Well here is this asset in the middle of Geauga County that people have not even realized they can have access to. I’m a firm believer in keep our money local, spend our money locally. They will be using these funds to help provide scholarships for campers.”
Major said Trudick and Hershey Guren will be honored and recognized for their “significant leadership, philanthropy and commitment to education, jobs and economy.”
“We wanted to bring back that tradition of honoring people of the community and at the same token whatever monies that that ball would make or generate, we would give it back to certain charity organizations or the chamber,” Major said. “We started planning this a year ago. (Trudick) has been here in business for 58 years. We’re an old community and there’s certain people that just never get recognized, but do such a tremendous amount of work. They’re very humble and they don’t want to be recognized. I know Steve never wanted to be but I decided I wanted to make him. He would do anything for anybody and he’s employed a number of people for 58 years.”
The Hershey Foundation has donated to several county entities over the years, such as Geauga Public Library, Geauga Humane Society, Geauga Lyric Theatre Guild, Geauga Park District and the Geauga YMCA, Burr said.
“Debra Hershey Guren, she lived in Geauga County for many years, but probably her hallmark is the Hershey Mont-essori Farm School in Huntsburg,” Burr said. “So those kinds of things, it’s so important to not just take these things for granted, people who are driven to improve the quality of life for our citizens out here in Geauga County, we should take time and let them know we appreciate them.”
A surprise 2014 Survivor of the?Year and Cherished Veteran of the Year award will also be given out, Major said, they’ve already filled up some tables for the ball, but have room for many more attendees.
Thanks to local craftsmen, merchants and donors, additional funds will be raised through a Chinese, silent and live auction, all in an effort to promote, raise awareness and fund ongoing projects of the three beneficiaries, including camp scholarships, pediatric skin cancer and Burton enhancements, Major added.
“As we draw together as a community to honor those who have, through their work, wisdom, wealth, knowledge and wallop, paved the way and created a better place in which to live and work, we pay tribute to their personal sacrifices on all our behalves,” Burr said. “Debra Guren and Steven Trudick are leaders in their respective areas of excellence and it is right and fitting to take the time to recognize their philanthropic and corporate initiatives.”
The menu will feature tastes and textures from “Dish Cuisine By Design” chef Traci Burzanko Holzheimer.
Live entertainment will span 50 years of music genre, featuring Shaker Heights alumnus Bert Elliot and regional group “Blue Lunch.”
“Darren Ginn’s mastery of the keyboard is not to be missed,” Burr and Major added.
Cost to attend is a $125 donation per person or a $1,000 donation for a table of eight.
For more information or to order tickets, volunteer or participate, contact Major at 440-834-1710, Sue Wayman at 440-834-0076 or Amy Blair at 330-834-4304.
