BY NICHOLAS PUGLIESE 2/14/2018
METAMORA — As child advocacy group Justice for Lily set out to remember and celebrate Lily’s life for what would have been her 10th birthday, planning is already underway for the sixth annual Lily Princess Ball.
Scheduled for April 28 at the Metamora Lions Club on Oak Street, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m., tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available. Tickets are $50 and include dinner, beer and wine, desserts, dancing, silent auction, a photo booth and more. Tables are also available, seating eight, for $350. Tickets sell out quickly.
“This year we’re focusing on Lily’s favorite things because it’s in memory of her tenth birthday,” said Lily’s mother and Justice for Lily founder Lauren Furneaux-Bass. “Softserve ice cream bar, Disney cut-outs, Glee — all her favorite foods will be in a buffet.
While the night is designed to be a fun night out for attendees, the group will take the opportunity to highlight the importance of child advocacy. “This year we’re going to talk more about what Justice for Lily does for the community,” said Furneaux-Bass. The annual Princess Ball raises an average of $15,000, the vast majority of funds the organization uses throughout the year to advocate for families, provide foster support and hold community events. “We’re here to help foster parents, help with needs like car seats,” she said. “We’ve also been talking about getting back into doing talks in high schools and colleges.”
The Princess Ball, said Furneaux-Bass, is styled like an adult prom, complete with some guests arriving in prom attire. “Some people wear dress clothes and some will wear big ball gowns,” she said. “It’s just a night to get dressed up and have a good time.”
Furneaux-Bass is also currently in search of silent auction items. For businesses and organizations interested in sponsorship or to donate a silent auction item, contact Furneaux-Bass on the Justice for Lily Facebook page or email justiceforlily@hotmail.com.
