Bay City Tribune

Bay City's Junior Service League is preparing for its annual charity ball set to take place at 7 p.m. in the Bay City Civic Center on Saturday, Feb. 6.

Last year the Junior Service League hosted 467 guests at the charity ball and that enabled them to donate over $47,000 to local charities.

The meal this year will be catered by Café Annise of Lake Jackson and music will be provided by The Intercoastal Pirates.

Special guests are this year's honorees for the class of 2010: Ashley Allison, Courtney Cortez, Matthew Estlinbaum, Katherine Jones, Katerina Pena, Christopher Savage and Will Shindler.

These senior students are children of JSL members who are honored each year.

Funds raised through the annual charity ball go directly back to the community, with much of those funds coming from those who purchase tickets to attend the ball.

"The community is so gracious to us, and we are so thankful for their donations," said Kim Dinges, JSL raffle tickets chairman.

In addition, money is raised through the silent auction held at the ball, corporate sponsorships and JSL raffle ticket sales.

The raffle tickets have a variety of prizes and one does not need to be present to win.

According to Erin Stone, ways and means chairwoman, the corporate sponsors make the charity ball as successful as it is.

This year's corporate sponsors are: Bay City Dental, Jill Cornelius - County Attorney, Lyondell Chemical, Matagorda Regional Medical Center, McDonald Equipment, Medical Arts Clinic, Palacios Dental - Kelly Rynchek D.D.S., Dr. and Mrs. Greg Pappas, Prosperity Bank, Spoonbills Restaurant, STPNOC, Wal-Mart, WCJC and Wells Fargo Bank,

The 2010 Junior Service League recipients are: American Red Cross (Rio Colorado Chapter; Bay City Public Library; CASA; Edith Armstrong Center; Matagorda County Home Intervention Fund; JSL Scholarships; Kids in Distress Services; Matagorda County Birding Nature Center; Matagorda County Crisis Center; Matagorda County Girl Scouts; Matagorda County Museum; Matagorda Regional Medical Center; MEHOP; Wellness Matagorda County Inc.; and Women's Pregnancy Center.

Anyone who would like to purchase raffle tickets may contact any JSL member or Kim Dinges at 979-323-8334.

Invitations to the ball can be acquired by contacting Carrie McGalliard at 979-245-5771.