The old-time dance event is being held on August 16 in the Memorial Hall to raise money for the Mae Chaem Tribal Youth Centre in northern Thailand, which has a strong Cromwell connection.
Ex-Cromwell folk Malcolm and Sandra Potter have been serving as missionaries in Thailand since 2001 and have been responsible for overseeing the construction of the centre since it got under way in 2004.
The centre aims to keep the hill tribe's youth off the streets of nearby Chiang Mai, providing them with an education and a chance in life.
Cromwell couple Jim and Helen Harrington are the Potters' point of contact in Cromwell, promoting news about how the project is progressing through churches and voluntary groups. They have been instrumental in organising the charity ball.
Mr Harrington said five or six years ago, the youth centre catered to just a small handful of young people living in boxes, but this year, 62 students needed support to live at the centre.
Construction of the buildings is finished but a South Island team is now being co-ordinated to travel to the centre at the end of October and build a security wall around the centre.
Cromwell teenager Ben Winstanley (17) will be part of the construction team, which will spend two weeks at the centre.
Ben has set himself a target of $5000 for the trip.
Although his flights cost only $2500, he is aiming to double the amount, so he can give the rest to the project.
Ben has drawn up 50 blocks on a large mural at the Cromwell Presbyterian Church to represent the soon-to-be constructed security wall and is selling them to people at $100 each as a way of raising money.
The charity ball will help contribute towards Ben's trip as well as supporting the project as a whole.
Mr Harrington said while the construction of the youth centre project had been funded entirely by donations, gifts and people's help, it was proving more difficult to get ongoing sponsorship to keep the children there.
‘‘The hostel project is sort of like an ongoing World Vision sponsorship.''
Community support for the running costs of the ball had been considerable, Mr Harrington said.
The district council had reduced the cost of hiring the hall, advertising and ticket-printing costs had been sponsored and a local band was offering its services free of charge.
The ball would be an alcohol-free, ‘‘good old family fun'' event, with quality old-time music for dancers or listeners, a continual supply of punch and soft drinks and a short photo presentation outlining where the funds raised would be going, he said.
About 150 people attended the first charity ball last year to raise funds for a vehicle for Cromwell Presbyterian Church's former minister Jim Young, who, with his wife Diane, was carrying out missionary work in Malawi.
- Cromwell's second Charity Ball will be held on Saturday, August 16, from 8pm in the Memorial Hall. Tickets are $15 for students and $20 for adults and are available from the Harringtons on 445-3364, the Buxtons on 445-3610, the Cromwell Pharmacy, 22 The Mall and, in Gore, from P and J Johnstone on (03) 208-8478. Donations of finger food for supper are requested.
