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The sixth Annual Mayors’ Shamrock Ball, held on March 2 at the Garden Villas North, will have a fourth mayor hosting this year. This year, Mayors Matt Robinson of Hazelwood, Tom Schneider of Florissant, and Norm McCourt of Black Jack welcome Mayor James W. Knowles III of Ferguson as the fourth host of the ball.

The ball will take place from 6:30 to 11 p.m. and features food, dancing, and attendance prizes. Last year, more than 400 guests and 52 sponsors helped raise $27,000 for Valley Industries Sheltered Workshop, a non-profit organization with a mission to provide dignified, meaningful employment for adults with developmental disabilities.

The Bob Kuban Band will provide music, and students from the Clark Academy of Irish Dance will also perform.

Valley Industries Workers of the Year, Mike Riner and Lynette Roberson, will be crowned as King and Queen of the Ball.

Eight local caterers and restaurants will provide hors d’oeuvres, pastries and desserts. Catering to You; Choices Catering; Delmar Gardens; Helfer’s Pastries and Deli; Mattingly’s Sports Bar & Grill; Meyer’s Country Cottage & Irish Pub; O’Charley’s Restaurant; and Piccolino’s Italian Grocer will set up several food stations. Yacovelli’s restaurant is sponsoring an open bar with beer sponsor Anheuser-Busch/InBev.

Ball guests will be given a punch card that will list all the food stations. Guests can have their card punched at each station for a chance to will attendance prizes.

Guests can also purchase $10 raffle tickets for a chance to win one of two prizes, a chest containing an assortment of liquor valued at $500 or an authentic NFL football autographed by St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford.

Retired Hazelwood Police Chief Carl Wolf is the event chairman. Six years ago, as a board member of Valley Industries, he had the idea for the first Shamrock Ball. He and his wife Colleen, who is Hazelwood’s City Clerk, have attended several of the St. Louis Mayor’s Mardi Gras Balls.  According to Wolf, “We thought it would be a great idea to do a similar event with an Irish St. Patrick’s Day theme as a fund-raiser for Valley Industries.  The rest of the Board liked the concept and we were able to initially recruit the mayors of three North County cities to help us host the event.”

Wolf said of this year’s ball, “we anticipate this year’s event to be the biggest and best one yet.  The addition of Ferguson’s mayor as one of the hosts opens the door for other North County businesses and residents to support this worthy cause.  Anyone who is willing to purchase an individual ticket or be an event sponsor is welcome to take part.”

The 500 tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis for $100 per person. They can be ordered online at www.ValleyInd.net or by mail: Valley Industries Sheltered Workshop; 143 B McDonnell Boulevard, Hazelwood, MO, 63042.  Please make the checks payable to Valley Industries.  For questions, call 731-1771.

Local businesses, civic organizations and entrepreneurs interested in supporting Valley Industries as an event sponsor have several choices in sponsorship levels. For more details about sponsor benefits, contact Jim Guyre, Valley Industries’ Executive Director at 731-1771.