2015 event
Jingle Bell Charity Ball
Friday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m. to midnight
Fannin Automotive
7405 U.S. Route 60
Ashland, KY
• Admission $20 plus an unwrapped new toy or article of clothing for ages birth to 16
• Food, open bar, prizes, auction and live music
For more information, you may call 606-325-0407.
Jingle Bell Charity Ball History
Carol Jean Cieraszynski’s face lights up like, well, a kid with a new- toy on Christmas when she talks about the Jingle Bell Charity Ball, the charitable event she began in 2000 to benefit families at Christmas.
She remembered as a child being without. She remembered dragging the school’s Christmas tree home, so her family would have one. She remembered the want and the disappointment she felt as a nine year old with five siblings in Minnesota who didn’t have a decent Christmas. She was not as fortunate to live in a community as giving as ours.
After CJ lost her son, Curtis, to a heart aneurysm in 1997, she sought ways to cope in a positive and productive way. She started remembering his love for children. While her oldest son, Mike, was visiting CJ, she found the perfect way to celebrate Curtis. Mike told her about a wonderful ball he had recently attended to assist the Marines in their toy drive for providing needy children w ith toys. Out of this conversation, the Jingle Bell Charity Ball was born.
Thus in 2001, the Jingle Bell Charity Ball was started in honor of the memory of her son for his advocacy for children and what was important to him. Since its genesis, the charily has provided Christmas wishes for thousands of children and continues to grow every year.
The Jingle Bell Charity Ball is a charity event which collects new toys or articles of clothing for children ages 0-14 to be distributed by CAReS – Community Assistance & Referral Services – the agency that assists the area’s less fortunate in Boyd and Greenup counties. This semi-formal dance provides entertainment, hors d’oeuvres, and prizes plus a silent auction for its patrons.
The JBCB continues in 2015 providing a most joyful evening that reflects the spirit of the Christmas holiday season. We are striving to make the 2015 Jingle Bell Charity Ball even better this year. Please allow us to continue to support our community and the lives of less fortunate children, through CAReS, in the Ashland area.