April 5, 2016 · Exit133

Tacoma Yacht Club, Metro Parks Tacoma ready for 2nd annual Cinderella Ball

Formal dance May 14 planned as glamorous outing for people with disabilities

The Tacoma Yacht Club will devote its entire facility to this year’s Cinderella Ball, a formal dance to give people with disabilities an opportunity to experience an event of style and glamour.

Last spring was the first time Metro Parks and the yacht club put on the ball. For the 110 guests, it was comparable to a prom or coming-out party.

“People were excited to be there,” said Nancy Williams, who leads the yacht club’s outreach efforts with her fiance Bill Foulk. “Because of the enthusiasm and how much fun everyone had last year, we wanted to recreate that and make it even more special.”

This year, organizers aim to attract 250 guests. Instead of keeping the party in a single banquet hall, they intend to fill the club with festivities.

Their mission is to give people with disabilities a rare treat that will make them feel honored rather than ignored, said Heather Reddington, Metro Parks recreation specialist.

Last year, some guests arrived in a rented limousine, she said. Volunteers showed up early to help with hair and make-up. “It’s cool to see them getting paired up, getting dolled up,” Reddington said.

This year, plans call for a receiving line outside the club. Then, guests will enter the ballroom surrounded by an honor guard of uniformed yacht club members who raise their sabers in a special salute. They’ll pose for pictures in a Cinderella-style coach Foulk crafted especially for the ball. And they’ll dance to familiar beats coached by Metro Parks’ instructor Marcus Bradford, known for his “Groovin’ with Marcus” get-togethers with people with disabilities.

“They love to dance, so the dance in and of itself is just a party,” Reddington said.

Last year, guests particularly enjoyed rubbing shoulders with the Daffodil festival princesses, who wore their signature yellow gowns and tiaras. This year, the entire Daffodil Festival court, including the queen, is expected to attend, Williams said.

The event takes a lot of planning. Metro Parks is building a collection of donated formal wear, for both men and women. Some clothing has been donated by yacht club volunteers, some by Value Village.

To make sure clothes suit the wearers, a free fitting event will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 15 at STAR Center, 3873 S. 66th St., Tacoma. Advance registration is required.

Last year, besides yacht club volunteers, 65 other community members turned out to help, Williams said. This year, she expects participation from uniformed members of the Tacoma police, Tacoma firefighters, Ruston firefighters, Sea Scouts and Army Rangers.

Refreshments will be served by the yacht club’s shipmates, a women’s auxiliary group.

Williams and other volunteers find generosity is its own reward. “It was a life-changing experience for me last year,” Williams said.

The credit for spearheading the annual event goes to the yacht club, Reddington said. “Bill (Foulk) and Nancy (Williams) are really the rocket behind this idea,” she said. “They are so passionate about it.”

If you would like to volunteer or contribute formal wear, contact Reddington at (253) 404-3950 or send a message to heatherr@tacomaparks.com.

Cinderella Ball
The Tacoma Yacht Club is the oldest yacht club in the Pacific Northwest. It was established in 1889, the same year Washington became a state. The club has been providing great opportunities for boating fun, education and outreach to the community for over 125 years.

What: Formal dance for people with disabilities, ages 3 and older
When: 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 14
Where: Tacoma Yacht Club, 5401 N. Waterfront Drive, Tacoma
Cost: $5
Registration: Click Here to Sign Up