By Staff
Staff reports, Hartselle Enquirer
Decatur Assembly for March 8 ball will be the 20th time the organization has dined and danced to benefit Parents and Children Together, Morgan County's family preservation agency.
Decatur Assembly formed in 1983 with one purpose: to raise money for PACT, which creates and administers child abuse prevention and family education programs for people of all ages throughout Morgan County.
But chairwomen M.M. Tweedy and Jo Alfano are shaking things up just a bit for the black-tie dinner and dance at Decatur Country Club. Instead of heavy cream-colored paper, invitations were printed on silver board with a glittery swirl accent. Decorations chairwomen Amy Godwin and Laura Fite are continuing the modern theme with sleek silver, crystal and white arrangements.
Assembly members and guests will gather for cocktails at 7 p.m., dinner at 8 and dancing until 1 a.m.
The Sophisticated Swingers will play classic tunes during a gourmet meal of mesclun greens garnished with fresh fruit, filet of beef tenderloin with Barnaise sauce and artichoke hearts and a toffee torte on a chocolate crust with a Crme Anglaise put together by Chef Ron Casey.
At 9 p.m., the horn-filled Soul Society of Cullman will play dance hits from the 1940s through the 1990s.
The talented six-piece band has been playing together for 30 years. It performs yearly at Huntsville's Big Spring Jam and has backed legendary Percy Sledge.
"We want to make things a little different and a lot of fun," says M.M.
Assembly is made up of women – many alumnae of both leagues – who have volunteered in PACT's programs and raised money to help the agency grow.
Cindy Gray and Margie Thompson co-chaired the invitations committee, which met at First United Methodist Church and at the home of Melissa O'Sullivan to painstakingly hand-assemble the silver folders.
Working on the committee were Sylvia Betts, Diane Copeland, Laurie Davis, Debbie Duncan, Annette Gifford, Irene Henderson, Debbie Manifold, Willa Dockery Martin, Carol Sartain, Lynn Thrasher, Dr. Betty Vaughan and Beth Walker.
Ball committees include arrangements, chaired by Sharon Faison; programs, Nancy Curl; property, chaired by Phyllis Gray and including Vicki Earwood, Carol Godwin, Sue Hennessey and Cathy Story; reservations, Nora Clay; and seating arrangements, Bobbie Skelton and Melinda Woller.
Decatur Assembly officers are Whitney Ferguson, president; Kim Schuster, vice president; Rebecca Koenig, secretary; Suzanne Woller, treasurer; Lee Lott, corresponding secretary; and Penny Haddock, parliamentarian.
Admission to the March 8 "PACT Ball," as it's popularly known, is $250 per couple. For information, call the PACT office in Decatur at 256-355-7252.