Michael Kerns Memorial
Starz for Youth Ball
Leading Social Event Returns
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By Jim Gill (8/22/2008)

Last year the Rotary Club of Ellicottville sponsored The Starz for Youth Ball in honor of the late Michael Kerns with all proceeds donated to the Rotary Club Foundation for Youth and the Youth Center at the Ellicottville Memorial Library. The inaugural event sold out weeks in advance with many of the two hundred plus people attending ranking the ball as the premier social event of the year in Ellicottville. Proceeds from the ball will once again assist the Rotary Club of Ellicottville Foundation for Youth Center.

Youth foundations throughout the world have helped fill a void by providing a safe and productive haven for young people, the Rotary Club of Ellicottville recognized the need for this type of facility in the Ellicottville School District and joined forces with the Memorial Library to establish a permanent Youth Center in the new facility. Many Youth Centers are fortunate to have corporate sponsors to carry all or part the financial burden associated with supporting this type of facility; unfortunately this was not the case in Ellicottville.

Prior to the library being built Ellicottville Rotary members committed $50,000 to build a Youth Center payable over a 5-year period. To meet their goal, Rotary Club turned to the local community and through a series of fund raising events and the efforts of the many Rotarians and volunteers the balance is expected to be paid in full by early next year.

While our small community is blessed with many generous donors, one individual always seemed to be at the forefront, the late Michael Kerns. When it came to the proposed new library Mr. Kerns (whom also served as one of the trustees) donated Fall Fest profits from his business, Balloons Restaurant to the library and personally selected and paid for the furnishings in The Michael Kerns Area. The Michael Kerns Starz for Youth Ball serves two purposes; one is to recognize all he has done for the community and second to help support his favorite project, the Ellicottville Memorial Library and the Youth Foundation.

This year’s event will be held on Friday October 3rd at Holiday Valley, Yodeler Lodge. Tickets ($65) will be available next week at Balloons Restaurant, The Barn Restaurant, SHHH and through members of the Rotary Club of Ellicottville. The evenings headline entertainment will be provided by the “The Strangers”. Many of Ellicottville’s Youth will be featured throughout dinner along with Tyler and Jake George who was the hit of last year’s event with his rendition of “Boot Scoot Boogie”. The full schedule for the evening including entertainment and full menu will be published in our publication when available. So get out and support the youth of our community while enjoying some fabulous food from select local restaurants. We guarantee that this will be an evening that you won’t forget!