Boots and Bling

The 49th annual Charity Ball benefiting those with developmental disabilities will be held September 26 at The Oaks Country Club.

They’re the workers who staff Show Recycling Center, do onsite shredding for the City of Sapulpa, go out on curbside and commercial recycling pickups in Sapulpa and Tulsa, and help provide the landscaping services for Sapulpa Main Street. All of them are adults with developmental disabilities. Thanks to Show, Inc., approximately 100 people receive employment training that provides them a paycheck.

The 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, whose roots go back more than half a century, processes for the M.E.T. and serves over 100 commercial accounts, including Tulsa Community College campuses, BOK Technology Center, ONEOK Field, ORU and OSU.

According to DHS statistics, as many as 6,000 more developmentally disabled adults are waiting for the opportunity to feel a sense of accomplishment for the first time in their lives.
A major source of funding for Show, Inc. is the Charity Ball. Now in its 49th year, the Charity Ball is the longest running charity event in Sapulpa. Individuals and corporations are called upon to support this event that helps developmentally-challenged individuals at the same time the community benefits from a well-structured recycling program and beautification efforts.

This year’s event, “Boots and Bling,” will be Saturday, September 26 at The Oaks Country Club in Tulsa. The evening will begin at 6:30 with cash bar cocktails, followed by fine dining and dancing until the magic hour of midnight. Chairperson Jennifer Dilley departed from the formal gowns and tuxedos of past Charity Balls. “We want guests to feel comfortable. Come in your best cowboy chic,” she says, “and, of course, bling. We want everyone to relax and have a really great time.”

The likes of Will Rogers will entertain with stories and lasso tricks. Merchandise with a western flair can be purchased in an old time general store, and a photo booth can capture moments to bring back smiles for years to come.

“It is so important to let people know what their support through the Charity Ball means to these individuals with disabilities,” says Jennifer. Besides their employment program, Show, Inc. provides assisted living support to those living independently, after-school services for middle school through high school aged students, and summer camps.
Show, Inc. also offers a respite program to provide families with a break from the stress and demands of the daily routine of caring for developmentally disabled children and their siblings, and serves as a multi-agency link for families as it refers them to needed programs.

“Without Show, Inc., these people would have no real future. And without our help, Show would not be able to achieve as much as they have,” she adds. In 2013 Show, Inc. received the Henry Bellman sustainability award “Quality for Life for All.”

In keeping with the 49th year for the event, the goal is to raise $49,000. Cost for the Charity Ball is $80 per person or $160 per couple. Reservations must be made by September 15. Donations are welcome any time. They can be mailed to Charity Ball, Inc., P.O. Box 1715, Sapulpa, OK 74067.