By Darlene Brace
Three years ago, two Jamestown teachers, Pat Smeraldo and his wife Jill, along with their friend Jim McElrath, started a nonprofit organization called Collaborative Children’s Solutions (CCS). CCS’s mission is to give kids in the community quality activities and events to participate in and to help them to reach their maximum potential. CCS focuses on collaboration and partnering with the City of Jamestown as well as area schools, businesses, and other agencies. Jill Smeraldo said, “It’s all about bringing people together and collaboration. It gives the opportunity for the community to be involved.” All their events are free to the community except for their fundraisers. At Christmas time, they organized the Jingle and Mingle Festival in collaboration with the City of Jamestown. This weekend, they have collaborated again with the City of Jamestown for the Turn the River Green event, that will take place down at the Riverwalk area on March 16th. You can go online to find out more information about this event.
A week later, CCS will be having a fundraising event. They are hosting their 3rd Annual Red Carpet Gala on Saturday March 23, from 7pm-11pm. This fun event will take place upstairs in the Northwest Arena in Jamestown and there is an elevator if needed. It’s important to note that it’s a women’s only event as it was the first two years that they had the Red Carpet Gala. Jill stated, “We made it a woman only gala as a way to celebrate women in the community.”
Disco Fever is the theme for this year’s Red Carpet Gala. Music will be provided by local DJ Steve Trapani and he will be playing disco music all night that will get the ladies out there dancing the night away. Dress in disco theme attire if you prefer, but it’s not required. There will be a cash bar and basket raffles. Complimentary desserts will be available. Snappy Accidents Photo Booth will be there providing props for fun photo opportunities to take pictures to remember the night.
This year, a portion of the proceeds will go to Arise Chautauqua to help with their Financial Literacy Program. Arise Chautauqua is another non-profit organization that encourages, empowers, promotes, and celebrates girls in the community ages 11-18.
The other portion of the proceeds will go to support the Prom Dress Experience 24, which is being hosted by CCS in collaboration with Arise Chautauqua. The Prom Dress Experience will provide prom dresses, jewelry, shoes, and accessories for local teenage girls. These items will have been donated by people in the community. The girls will be able to shop without any financial burden, as all the dresses and accessories are free. The Prom Dress Experience will be in the building owned by the family that owns Dot’s Gift Boutique, and the building is adjacent to their shop. The Prom Dress Experience will be held on Saturdays starting April 20th – May 11th, from 11am to 1pm.
The Prom Dress Experience is made possible because of donations from people in the community. If you would like to donate dresses and other items for the Prom Dress Experience, there are drop boxes in place at several locations in the community. There are drop boxes in all the Northwest Bank locations, the Northwest Arena and Cummins. The drop boxes are black boxes that are clearly marked with the Red Carpet Gala and Prom Dress Experience flyers on them. Donations will be accepted any time these locations are open until April 1st.
This will be the second year that CCS has hosted the Prom Dress Experience. Last year, their Prom Dress Experience provided dresses and accessories to over one hundred girls that were from thirteen area schools and it was very successful. This year they hope to do as well if not better, so please donate items to help this great cause. Jill proudly stated, “To see the faces of the girls when they get their dress, makes it all worth it. It made my heart happy.”
If you have any questions about the Red Carpet Disco Gala, the Prom Dress Experience, or any other CCS events, look on their website ccsolutions716.com or on Collaborative Children’s Solutions on Facebook.