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The Cawood Ledford Boys and Girls Club is holding its yearly fundraising dinner on April 28, with this year’s participants enjoying a Royal Ball theme for the evening.

Rene’ Cornett, the Unit Director at the Cawood Ledford Boys and Girls Club, provided some details.

“This is our annual dinner, and it’s our biggest fundraiser,” Cornett said.

According to Cornett, those who attend the dinner can expect royal treatment.

“Everyone will get to walk the red carpet,” Cornett said.

Guests will be announced as they enter the. event in true royal fashion.

“You can be announced however you want to be announced,” Cornett said. “Some people are being announced as King and Queen. Some are Countess and Count. Some people are choosing their normal names. Whatever you want.”

There will also be photo opportunities for those in attendance.

“We’re going to have a really nice backdrop to take pictures,” Cornett said. “Then, you’ll go inside. We have the entire Harlan Center rented.”

Once inside the Harlan Center, the event will begin.

“We’ll have our dinner, then we’re going to have dancing,” Cornett said. “It’s going to be a really good night.”

Tickets for the event are $100 per couple.

“That is your ticket inside the Harlan Center to the Royal Ball, and that includes your dinner as well,” Cornett said. “That’s everything for two people.”

The dinner is the organization’s biggest fundraising event of the year.

“We are a non-profit, so we have to fundraise to keep the lights on,” Cornett said. “It goes to pay our bills for everything that we do so we can provide our free programs to our kids.”

Cornett mentioned the public is not always aware the Cawood Ledford Boys and Girls Club services are offered free of charge.

“A lot of people call here … and they don’t understand our services are free,” Cornett said. “It’s such a blessing when I get to tell them our afterschool program is free.”

Cornett mentioned some of the activities available at the Boys and Girls Club.

“We have the kids here until 6 p.m.,” Cornett said. “We do homework help, every kid gets a hot meal every day, every kid gets a snack, all our arts and crafts that we do are free, and all of our games are free.”

The funds raised by the annual dinner are used to fund those activities.

“Every bit of that money goes back into our kids and making sure we are able to keep everything free for them,” Cornett said.

Cornett explained what folks can expect at the Royal Ball.

“Some people are coming dressed up as their favorite Disney princesses, some people are wearing a really fancy ball gown, then you’re going to have people that come in their normal clothes and just want to have fun,” Cornett said. “Anything you want to do to have fun that night is good.”

The Royal Ball is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. and continue until 11 p.m. on April 28. Tickets may be obtained at the Cawood Ledford Boys and Girls Club.

For more information, call 606-573-0960.