CAPE MAY – Guests will step into a glistening forest of lit branches and sculpted ice figures when they enter Congress Hall’s Ballroom and tented Grand Lawn on Saturday, Feb. 11, for the 3rd Annual Ice Ball. A sold-out event for the past two years, the Ice Ball, a benefit for The Fund for Cape May, raises private funds for public projects to support South Jersey’s Cape Island communities. This year’s gala features cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Ballroom, dinner on the lawn, and dancing and dessert in the Ballroom-turned-ice-palace.
Hosted annually by Congress Hall, The Ice Ball is a fundraiser for The Fund for Cape May. Curtis Bashaw, Managing Partner of Cape Resorts, owner of the historic landmark hotel, established The Fund in 2014 to promote beautification and preservation in Cape Island communities, and encourage area youth to become active citizens.
This year’s Ice Ball celebrates the completion of The Fund’s first project, Cape May’s Rotary Park, which reopened last summer. The Fund has raised more than $500,000 for the park’s restoration.
“It’s been gratifying to see so many people enjoying the park since its grand reopening in August—listening to a concert in the bandstand, reading a book on a park bench, tossing a penny in the fountain and posing for family photos by the Christmas tree during the holidays,” said Bashaw. “Much of the success of Rotary Park is due to our generous supporters and donors.”
Ticket sales from this year’s Ice Ball will go toward the park’s ongoing upkeep and maintenance costs, as well as provide seed money for the organization’s next project. The Fund plans to announce its second major community project this summer.
Tickets are now on sale for the 2017 Ice Ball at www.fundforcm.org. Sponsorship packages, which include ball tickets and special recognition in the event program and on The Fund’s website, are also available. Anyone interested in buying a table at the benefit or who has questions about corporate or individual sponsorships should contact Tracey Martin at (609) 884-6513.