More than 400 guests—including 200 children under the age of seven—attended the Little Sweetheart Ball Sunday, a kid-friendly benefit in support of Rethink Breast Cancer. "There was a baby boom in the Rethink office and amongst our supporters," event manager Lindsay Grange said of the concept for the fund-raiser, now in its third year. "We're known for our cocktail parties, so we thought why not do something for our supporters who have kids?"
The event—held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Capitol Event Theatre—raised funds for Support Saturdays, a program for new moms and dads dealing with breast cancer. Attendees watched a fashion show presented by Joe Fresh and had the chance to take part in numerous interactive displays, including a fajita station sponsored by the Lone Star Texas Grill. "Our event is not face painting and Barney, it's quite the opposite," Grange said.
Sweetpea Organic Baby Food sampled snacks at its booth; youngsters could make pink pearl jewelry in the Telus zone; and the Chef Upstairs and Half Baked Ideas hosted a sprinkle station where children could decorate cupcakes. The Bunch Family Dance Party held a mini disco on the stage; Balmshell offered mini makeovers at a pop-up salon; and The Little Paper offered the chance for kids to have their photos taken. Other installations included a milk and cookies snack area, a tranquility lounge for breastfeeding moms, and a rock ‘n’ roll petting zoo.
"There's a lot needed to keep kids active," Grange said. "It's definitely a jam-packed afternoon." The organization promoted the event through mom's groups and children's stores. "We tend to do a lot of online marketing through blogs, too. And a lot of our events are word of mouth," Grange added. She noted that Rethink had never used the Capitol Event Theatre for the event but chose the venue this year because of the ballroom. "It's very grand, and a lot of the kids will get dressed up," she said.
Event sponsors included Telus, Schick Quattro, Joe Fresh, The Little Paper, Lone Star Texas Grill, the Little Art Box, Balmshell, Becoming Maternity, Love Music, Sweetpea Organic Baby Food, the Chef Upstairs, Half Baked Ideas, Yellow Tail, Steam Whistle, and Naked Juice.
