Save our Children of Elyria‘s eighth annual Storybook Ball event Sept. 9 will bring gala attendees into the Wizarding World.
The nonprofit, which aims to help disenfranchised students and close the opportunity gap in education, is presenting “An Evening at Hogwarts.”
The event will take place at Lorain County Community College’s Spitzer Convention Center, 1005 N. Abbe Road in Elyria, according to Lisa Gonzalez, a co-chair of Save our Children’s Board of Trustees.
“Save Our Children has been serving the city of Elyria for over 35 years,” Gonzalez said. “It currently serves up to 128 children every day, from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“The mission is to improve literacy, promote academic excellence and cultivate leadership in high-risk youth in our community.”
The organization stressed that many youngsters in the Elyria and Lorain County community “continue to fall below academic standards,” Gonzalez said.
The solution to falling behind, she said, can partially be found through the organization’s work, and through events such as the Storybook Ball.
The fundraiser is one of the organization’s largest annual events, Gonzalez said.
Save Our Children hopes to make 2023’s Storybook Ball its most successful yet.
“This fundraiser was started eight years ago, as another mechanism to allow us to expand and increase programming,” Gonzalez said. “Every year, it is themed around a favorite children’s book.
“This year, we decided to choose a book that appeals to a little bit older child.”
The selection, of course, was the Harry Potter series.
Since wider audiences were introduced to the world of Harry Potter in 1997, the franchise has remained one of the best-selling and most culturally relevant properties in the modern era of pop culture.
The decision, Gonzalez said, came from watching her own children and their responses to the Harry Potter franchise.
“I know that these are beloved books that I know my own children started reading when they were in fourth grade,” she said. “It really inspired them to just voraciously pore through several, you know, three-inch thick books.”
In addition to the gala, Gonzalez said that “An Evening at Hogwarts” will include a silent auction, along with raffles and other sorts of fundraising opportunities.
Gonzalez urged the Elyria community to consider either attending the Storybook Ball in September or supporting the event in some other way.
Sponsorship opportunities range from $1,500 to $15,000 for the gala, and each includes a different set of perks.
“It really is just a super fun, whimsical sort of event,” Gonzalez said. “All of the decorations are themed around whatever the story book happens to be that year.
“It’s lighthearted, it’s fun, and it’s a great event to be able to feel good about spending money on to support youth in the community.”
Gonzalez said that the nonprofit’s work really does make an impact in the community and helps students go on experiential and cultural field trips.
Gala attendees will be able to feel good about what they gave, no matter the amount, she said.
“Last year, we raised I believe over $110,000 net,” Gonzalez said. “Our teens got to go to ‘Hamilton’ this year; they’ve been to the science center.
“This is one of two organizations that I’ve been affiliated with where you can actually feel God’s hand.”
Those looking to sponsor the gala, submit auction items, or otherwise get involved with Save Our Children of Elyria, can reach the agency at 440-323-3272 or socelyria.com.
