103rd Maria Love Charity Ball
Maria Love (1840-1931) was a Buffalo visionary and humanitarian whose work for those in poverty was groundbreaking. Tonight marked the 103rd Maria Love Charity Ball, held in the Buffalo Convention Center, and attended by a total of 1,200 students, from fifth graders to high school seniors.
The benevolent agency is comprised of a board of 40 civic-minded women on a voluntary basis under the direction of Jane Hettrick. According to Karen Little, Executive Director of the fund, the agency handled 100 agency referrals this past year, with 900 persons assisted.
The original site of the Fitch Creche, the first day care facility in the United States, opened by Love in 1881 for the children of poor working women and was located at 159 Swan Street, corner of Michigan. The building, which was donated by Benjamin Fitch, a Buffalo dry goods shop keeper, was demolished in 1994.
All but one percent of the proceeds from the event will go to the Maria Love Convalescent Fund, which supports children, men, and women in Erie County who are in the midst of financial and medical crises. At forty dollars per ticket, the event sold out its 6:00 to 8:30 event for grades 5 through 8, as well as the 8:30 to 10:30 event for high school students.
For those who wish to learn more about Love and her benevolent efforts throughout the community, Karen little has published a book entitled, "Maria Love, The Life and Legacy of a Social Work Pioneer".
A wonderful charity and it looks like a very well produced and publicized event........HOWEVER....with BRO and Buffalo News photos and info, it seems to me that the age level is way too low for this type of event. Any child in middle school who attends a "gown" formal type affair, rides in a stretch limo (please God, spare my child from a vehicle of such horrendous taste and proportion!), and mixes socially with older teens from senior high is caught in an adult approved innappropriate situation. I am extremely liberal both socially and politically, but this is just plain wrong from any sane and knowledgeable childrearing perspective.
In defense of the ball...
I don't think children are ever too young to understand or participate in giving. The fact that this event is 103 years old speaks to a time when children dressed and attended formal events. True, it's antiquated, but not at all inappropriate. As for age groups mixing, there were two separate events.
Children collect school supplies and clothing for impoverished countries. They serve food at shelters. They visit nursing homes. They even sweep streets. Because this is a ball, they dress. They're not 'caught'.
Though I think the limo money might be better spent on the charity itself, one could argue that the number of cars that can be replaced by one limo might make it worthwhile, financially and environmentally.
If you are as liberal as you say, you'll understand that even young people like to put on the dog and mix with their own kind. That's why, when people are having a really good time...they say, "I'm having a ball!"
Wondering if there was any live music to which the students could dance? Certainly pro musicians performing as pros might have knocked the event off its 99% money to the cause record, but the experience for students might have been worth it.
Is pre-recorded music the best our society expects of itself? The students that attended learned it must be OK. They could have danced to records in the basement.
DJs (many w/ their own daily radio shows) have indoctrinated our society to accept and favor their prerecorded music and their own 'live personalities' at social events. Bet they didn't have a dj 100 years ago.
As ECB mentioned, there are two separate events - one for middle school students (grades 5-8), and one for high school students (grades 9-12). The middle school event begins early in the evening, so the pickup time is an hour before the high school students arrive.
I attended last year's Charity Ball as a high school senior. The entertainment was provided by a team of radio personalities from station "Wild 101" (CKEY-FM).