Annual Mayor's Charity Ball to be Held at West Hartford's Town Hall, 5/14

The 17th annual Mayor's Charity Ball will be held at West Hartford's Town Hall on Saturday, May 14 from 6:00 PM to midnight. It will be the final gala hosted by Mayor R. Scott Slifka, who recently announced he was stepping down as West Hartford mayor. Event organizers promise it will be an unforgettable evening. The gala benefits two local charities - Playhouse on Park and The Town That Cares fund, and features cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and a silent auction held indoors, followed by an elegant dinner by Max Catering served under a grand tent on the lawn of Town Hall. After dinner, the more than 350 expected guests will be entertained by performers from Playhouse on Park, a live auction and dancing to music by the Metropolitan Players. Jim Altman from Fox 61 will again serve as emcee for the gala.

"From the red carpet entrance to the unique, take-home cupcakes from Imagination Cakes, guests should be impressed with the sophisticated touches provided by the event committee," said Mayor's Charity Ball Board President Lou Luba. "The team of volunteers has been working hard to make this evening extra special to honor Mayor Slifka." The gala is expected to sell out, and organizers urge patrons not to delay in signing up.

The silent and live auctions will offer guests and pre-event online auction shoppers the opportunity to bid on tantalizing experiences. Several unique dinner/wine experiences will be offered. A VIP tour of ESPN or NBC Connecticut, and a ride to school in a firetruck are typically sought after items. But a tour of LEGO's American Headquarters hosted by Mayor Slifka promises to be especially popular. Other items include a Cupcake Party for up to 50 people provided by NoRA Cupcake Company, box seats to the Red Sox and a year's family membership to the Hermitage Club in Vermont.

A pre-event online auction begins on May 2 and extends until May 12, two days prior to the event. Online auction shoppers may access the information at www.BiddingForGood.com/MCB Some auction items may only appear online, and some will only be available to bid on at the event. Most items will be available in both venues, and the leading bid online will appear as the starting bid on the item's bid sheet at the event.

A special, limited drawing at the event will feature a deluxe prize: the weekend use of a luxury car from Hoffman Auto Group, a one-night stay for two at the Delamar Hotel in Southport with a couples massage, a gift certificate to the Grey Goose Café across the street, tickets to a Fairfield Theater Company production and, to top it off, a bottle of exquisite champagne.

The Mayor's Charity Ball was created to bring awareness to and raise funds for West Hartford charities. For the second year in a row, the gala's proceeds will benefit Playhouse on Park and The Town That Cares. Playhouse on Park is the award winning West Hartford destination for the performing arts, dedicated to making professional theater accessible to the community through education, outreach and performance opportunities. The Town That Cares, which is administered by West Hartford's Department of Social Services, strives to improve the quality of life and self-sufficiency of vulnerable, low income residents through financial assistance, crisis intervention and prevention programs.

This year, Athena Health Care Systems will support the event as a Presenting Sponsor, and Webster Bank at the Platinum level. Major sponsors at the Gold level include All Waste, Cantor Colburn LLP/Shari & Michael Cantor, Center Development Corporation, Farmington Bank, Figure Eight Properties, and Simsbury Bank. Visit our website to view additional sponsors.

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