2012 Mayors' Shamrock Ball To Be Held March 3

More than 300 people pulled out their best green formal wear and high-stepped to the 2011 Mayors' Shamrock Ball at the  Garden Villas North in Black Jack, and the hope is to see a crowd of 500 this year.

The event, started five years ago with the premise of being a fundraiser for a good cause, said Hazelwood city clerk Colleen Wolf last year. Wolf, a Mayors' Shamrock Ball Coordinating Committee member, said the inaugural event brought in more than $35,000 in support from sponsors alone.

“We were hoping to get well over 300 attendees, and we did,” Wolf said of the first year. “We start planning this event in September to ensure a quality event.

"Over the years that has shown as more and more people come out.”

The event has grown so much it had to be moved in 2011 from its original site at Florissant City Hall to this year’s location at Garden Villas North.

Wolf’s husband, Hazelwood Police Chief Carl Wolf came up with the concept, which he developed from attending the St. Louis Mayor's Ball during Mardi Gras, said Tim Davidson, Hazelwood’s communications coordinator.

The Shamrock Ball is a fundraiser for the Valley Industries Sheltered Workshop in Hazelwood. Valley Industries is a nonprofit organization that provides employment for adults with developmental disabilities. Valley Industries’ Employees of the Year will be crowned king and queen of the ball. The money goes toward operational costs, such as employee payroll.

The night will include Irish-themed food, beverages and baked goods from local eateries including Catering to You, Choices Catering, Helfer’s Pastries and Deli, Longhorn Steakhouse, Mattingly’s Sports Bar, O’Charley’s, Crest Bowl, Yacovelli’s and Garden Villas North.

Bob Kuban and his band will be the main entertainment.

The event begins March 3 at 6:30 p.m., and will last until 11 p.m. Purchase tickets online or by mail for this green tie affair.

Individual all-inclusive ticket prices are $100 each per person. Tickets can be ordered online at Valley Industries' website or by mail:

143 B McDonnell Boulevard, Hazelwood, Mo., 63042

For questions, call 314-731-1771.