An area foundation aimed at helping victims and survivors of domestic violence is celebrating a major milestone with the return of a new fundraising event.
The Crisis Center Foundation in Jacksonville is hosting the 2nd annual Spring Fling Adult Prom and celebrating its 40th anniversary the first weekend in March.
Crisis Center Director Donna Leonard says after what turned out to be an overwhelming success at last year’s inaugural event, this year’s adult prom is bigger and better. “It’s at Hamilton’s this year, so we have a bigger space, which is great. The same band, Sushi Roll, is going to be there again and they are a very popular band around here, they have a big following.
We’re celebrating our 40th anniversary as well so we wrapped it all into one. So it’s a 40th-anniversary celebration and a spring prom. You can dress up in your prom finest, or you can dress up in everyday clothes, we don’t care. Just come and dance and have a good time.
The AMVETS is hosting an after-prom party because the prom gets over at 11:00. It’s from 7:00 to 11:00 pm and then after you can head on over to the AMVETS for the after-party.”
New this year is a full prom court field of volunteers that Leonard says has turned into quite the friendly fundraising competition. “Last year we had a voting contest the night of. You paid a dollar per vote and could write down who you wanted to be the prom queen and prom king for the night, and that went over really well.
So then this year, my program director Danielle came up with this idea she had seen, so we recruited various people in town to have a competition for the top royalty of the prom. We’re not actually doing king and queen, it will be the top royalty and they are challenged with raising the most money. Every dollar that they raise counts as one vote and whoever has the most money, the most votes, will be the royalty that night.”
All proceeds from the adult prom go to the Crisis Center Foundation, which offers a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, counseling, and legal assistance among others to anyone experiencing domestic violence in Morgan, Scott, Cass, and Greene Counties.
The Crisis Center Foundation’s Spring Fling Adult Prom and 40th Anniversary Party is happening on Saturday, March 2nd at Hamilton’s 110 North East in Downtown Jacksonville from 7 to 11 pm, with an after party at the Jacksonville AMVETS Lodge immediately after.
All attendees must be 21 or older. Tickets are $25.00 in advance or $30.00 at the door. You can also reserve an entire table when purchasing advanced tickets.
Call the Crisis Center at 217-243-4357 to order tickets or become a sponsor for the event. To see a full list and vote for your favorite prom royalty candidates, or to find out more information about the Crisis Center Foundation and the Adult Spring Fling Prom, you can go to the Crisis Center Foundation’s Facebook page.
More information is also available online at crisiscenterfoundation.org