Halloween Bash-themed fundraiser brings in more than $116,000 for the Oxford County charity’s mentorship programs
It really was a Big Night Out for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oxford County.
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After tallying up the proceeds from its annual charity ball, the local charity brought in more than $116,000 to support its 11 offered mentoring programs.
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Held Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Oxford Auditorium, this year’s Big Night Out Charity Ball embraced its Halloween Bash theme, encouraging its more than 400 guests to get creative with their costumes. That imagination was on full display, with guests dressed up as the Spice Girls, a crazy cat lady, the Griswolds from the Vacation movies and even a new Costco Sampler employee.
Pamela Pilon Szala was one of the costume contest winners, taking top prize for her frightening Dementor of Harry Potter, while the TD Bank group came as the aforementioned Costco Sampler employees, complete with a few actual samples.
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The money raised during the fundraising gala is critical to Big Brothers Big Sisters being able to do that work that it does for Oxford County’s youth. The agency has seen a more than 200 per cent increase in applications for its mentorship programs in the past year, creating an urgent need for additional support.
Since Big Brothers Big Sisters does not receive government funding, its fundraising events, including Big Night Out, help the charity continue to offer its programs at no cost to Oxford County youth and their families. Currently, the agency’s waitlist for its programs sits at roughly 160 youth. While Big Brothers Big Sisters continues to recruit new volunteer mentors, the surge in enrollment of young people in its programs is at an unprecedented rate, charity officials said.
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