Anything is good if it’s made of chocolate.
Chocolate Fantasy Ball a tasty way to help Ronald McDonald House
Taking the escalator to the Wally Allen Ballroom lobby of the Statehouse Convention Center on Feb. 9, a guest of the 2019 Chocolate Fantasy Ball might have wondered, “Where’s the chocolate?”
After all, the lobby was chock-full of silent auction items of diverse nature and origin, from a set of South Carolina sweetgrass baskets to a child-size motorized truck.
But the chocolate was there. A turn of the corner at the north end of the lobby yielded a wonderland of “decadent chocolate creations and gourmet treats.” Chocolate French Macarons from The Vintage Kitchen. Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Chick-Fil-A. Brownies from Woodland Bakery & Bistro. And, oh, those big Chocolate Dipped Strawberries from Ben E. Keith Co.
The Chocolate Fantasy Ball — an annual fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas — was chaired by Erin and John Carter and honored agency board member Susan Miller for her exemplary leadership and support.
Showing up in their formal best, attendees began the evening by partaking of passed glasses of wine and chocolatinis, bidding on the silentauction items, taking photos in a booth and in front of a New York backdrop and enjoying the featured goodies. Dinner consisted of braised short ribs and chive-infused mashed potatoes with edamame dill succotash. And when it comes to the Chocolate Fantasy Ball, organizers never assume that the aforementioned treats eliminate the need for serving a post-dinner dessert: Diners were served meal finishers of Chocolate Orange Mousse with White Chocolate Mikado and Parisian Chocolate Cake with Toasted Hazelnuts.
Steered by Aaron Nolan of KARK-TV, the night’s program included a live auction and a special appeal, punctuated by one family’s story of a devastating car wreck that involved their children and led to their stay at the Ronald McDonald House. Another fundraiser-within-a-fundraiser: “The Door,” a raffle for prizes valued at more than $4,000. Participants paid $100 per ticket. At the end of the program, 10 finalists were called onstage to draw keys, only one of which unlocked the “door.” Afterward, attendees enjoyed dance music by Boom Kenetic.
Proceeds from Chocolate Fantasy Ball go to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas, which provides a “homeaway-from-home” for families who must travel to Little Rock for their children’s medical care.