The second annual Snow Ball on Dec. 14 in Birmingham raised thousands of dollars to help children who are seriously ill or disabled.
The event raised $27,000 to benefit Children’s Harbor, a nonprofit organization that provides camping and adventure services at Lake Martin to children with long-term serious illnesses and their families.
The inaugural event was held in 2012 as a way to honor the memory and legacy of service of Sperry Snow, said Jim Ray, chief executive officer of Children’s Harbor.
Sperry served on the Children’s Harbor board for six years and was a longtime friend of the organization, Ray said.
“He tragically passed away with heart disease and as his friends, we wanted to do something to remember him and honor all the ways he helped the community,” he said.
The first Snow Ball raised close to $40,000 to build a miniature golf course for disabled children at the Children’s Harbor campus at Lake Martin, Ray said.
The golf course opened in the summer of 2013. The money raised at the 2013 Snow Ball will be used to build a 19th hole gazebo and observation deck so that even more people can enjoy the miniature golf course, Ray said.
“We’ll also use some of the funds from the Snow Ball for signage honoring Sperry,” Ray said.
Ray said sponsorship opportunities are available for those who would like to name a hole on the miniature golf course in honor or in memory of a loved one.
Ray said none of the proceeds from the Snow Ball had to be used to pay for expenses and that 100 percent of the proceeds went toward the gazebo and signage project at the miniature golf course.
An estimated 200 people attended the Dec. 14 event and danced to music by Total Assets.
The 2013 Snow Ball was hosted by Elene and Kenny Baker, Julie and Scott Bryant, Amy and Richard Cashio, Billy Harbert, Steve Kontos, John Lauriello, Bart McCorquodale, Steve Mote, Alison Nichols and Bill Mudd, Libby and Dennis Pantazis and David Shelby.
