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Community Corner

Beauty and the Beast Ball Raises Awareness for PACE Center for Girls

CLEARWATER: On June the 22nd, the Church of Scientology sponsored a “Beauty and the Beast Ball” themed dinner/dance at the Fort Harrison. 110 people from all over the Clearwater community converged in the Fort Harrison’s Crystal Ballroom, including members of the local business community, the Greek community, the Italian-American community – to name a few.

 

            There was no cost to attend the event, but guests were asked to make a contribution to the PACE Center for Girls. Nearly $1000 was raised for the Pinellas Center.

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            The event was themed around the Disney film “Beauty and the Beast.” This was a formal-attire optional event, with female guests encouraged to be dressed as elegantly as they wanted to be. Their companions, however, were allowed to dress as casually as they wanted to, which included t-shirts and shorts, polo shirts and jeans or their favorite Bucs jersey with khakis.

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            As guests entered the Fort Harrison, they were greeted by a costumed “Belle” character who took photos with them. This theme was played out throughout the event, from the ‘enchanted rose’ centerpieces, to the touches of royal blue and gold throughout the ballroom, to the menu inspired by the French location of the film. 

 

            When most of the guests had gotten their food, two ballroom dancers from Spats Sport Dance performed a waltz to the theme from “Beauty and the Beast”. After this, a DJ played dance music and almost all of the guests were on the floor in very short order.

 

            PACE began in 1985 to provide gender-specific assistance to girls who had found themselves within the justice system. Up to that point, young women were either being placed in boys programs or placed further into the system for their own protection. There are now 17 centers statewide that serve over 2,000 girls each year. PACE is an alternative to institutionalization or incarceration.

 

            “PACE has done a lot of good for young women here in Pinellas,” said Church spokesperson Pat Harney, “and we were happy to get the word out about this program as well as raise some funds to cover their day to day expenses.”

 

            “In the book Science of Survival, L. Ron Hubbard wrote that “The arts and skills of woman, the creation and inspiration of which she is capable…must be brought newly and fully into life,” added Harney. “This is what I see the PACE centers doing – allowing young women the opportunity to finish school, find a career path and succeed.”




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