The ballroom floor
Photo by Jean Germano
The air of the Yellowjacket Union’s Ballroom was heavy with the scent of onions and alcohol as the UW-Superior Alumni Association hosted the annual Holiday Ball on Saturday, Dec. 7. The theme of this year’s ball was “Marvelous Motown.”
A substantial crowd of alumni roamed the Union, calling on old memories of days gone by and raising funds for the Alumni Association’s scholarships. “Have a righteous and groovy night, and, in the words of Marvin Gaye, ‘Let’s get it on,’” cheered Chancellor Renée Wachter in a pre-recorded address.
From the coat check at the door to the glittering lights, Christmas trees, and guests, the evening was filled with an elegant atmosphere that kept the crowed engaged from 6:00 p.m. until the last dancers left the afterparty around midnight.
The event featured a variety of ways to raise money for the Alumni Association. Outside of the $50 entry fee that provided a ticket and the choice of a steak or salmon dinner, there was also a silent auction featuring items like a UWS themed ring fire and Milwaukee Brewers memorabilia. The auction was extra silent, as the entire process was loaded onto an online auction app.
In addition to the ticket price and silent auction, raffles were also held. Bead necklaces cost $10 apiece and each necklace was an entry into a 50/50 raffle pot. “Why are you not wearing beads, people,” asked Nick Trimmer (Class of 2007), chair of the alumni board of directors and master of ceremonies for the night. The “Sleigh of Spirits” raffle offered almost forty bottles of booze to its winner, courtesy of Keyport Liquor.
Finishing the night was the “Holiday Ball Funding Flurry” in which alumni raised paddles to contribute to the scholarship fund. By the end of the night, $8,100 had been raised for the scholarship through that effort alone. “That’s the reason we’re here. For the students,” said Trimmer.
Following the fundraising portion of the night was the afterparty, where UWS music students provided live music before handing the reigns over to a DJ. As people danced the night away, others gathered on the first and second floors of the Yellowjacket Union to chat. “It’s a good meal, we get together and we all talk,” said Anna McNeil (Class of 1963). She joined her husband John McNeil (Class of 1967) to catchup with, “wonderful, wonderful friends. It’s a lot of fun! [We] can’t miss this ball, that’s for sure!”
Nick Trimmer MCs (left)
