Red and White Ball ends early due to inclement weather Friday

Big Easy Casino Night proceeds benefit disaster-relief in Haiti

Joanna Banegas

Staff Writer

Union Activity Board hosted the 2010 Red and White Charity Ball Friday at the Vaughn Towers.

This year’s theme was Mardi Gras with an Big Easy Casino Night theme, lasting from 8 to 10:30 p.m. The event was supposed to last until 12 a.m. but was canceled early due to the inclement weather.

All the proceeds went to the Howl for Haiti, which benefits Stop Hunger Now, an international hunger relief organization that coordinates the distribution of food and other life-saving aid around the world.

Jennifar Gomes, UAB’s vice president and senior in psychology, said the board wanted students to be educated more on the charity the campus chose to support Haitian relief.

“This year is different from other years because we planned it to be more upscale and for more students to come out,” Gomes said. “We want you to help out in the charity and know where your money is going.”

The tickets were $10 each and transportation was available. At the event, students played in the casino, won prizes and enjoyed free food.

Blanca Cohen, a sophomore in biological sciences, said this year was her first time attending the Red and White Charity Ball.

“I wanted to relive my band banquet experience from high school again,” Cohen said. “By attending this event I was able to do that.”

Cohen also said she wasn’t able to play the casino games because she and her date arrived at the ball 30 minutes before the ball was canceled.

“I thought it was pretty messed up that the ball ended two hours earlier,” Cohen said. “It was disappointing that it ended so early into the night.”

Gomes said she was upset that it snowed on the day of the Ball.

“We had to cancel the event early,” Cohen said. “The cops told us to cancel the event at 10:30 p.m. due to the dangerous weather. We had buses take students in and out of the dance.”

According to Gomes, every year UAB does a different charity with a different theme.

“We decided to do Mardi Gras because its coming up this Tuesday and it’s a fun theme for everybody,” Gomes said.

UAB publicized the cause and event around campus much more this year by adding more visuals at the event and advertising around campus, according to Gomes.

“On the table there was a display saying with the $10 you spend on the ticket to the dance you helped out forty people,” Gomes said.

Cohen said her favorite part was the dance floor and the DJ played a good selection of music throughout the evening.

Cohen said she recommends this charity ball to anyone.

“It’s like a laid back prom where you can’t go too dressed up but you can’t go in jeans either,” Cohen said. “It was unique.”

Cohen said there was something different at the ball for everybody to enjoy.

“Spending money and knowing it’s going to a really great cause makes myself become a whole different person,” Cohen said. “I feel like I’m actually contributing to something that will impact many people in a positive way.”