The Heartland Wichita Black Chamber of Commerce will fit a lot into one great evening, May 14, when they sponsor their inaugural Black and White Ball. With dancing, dinner, great music, Hall-of-Fame Inductions, and plans to repeat the event annually, this event has the potential to become the “must attend” event of the summer.
The event will be held Sat., May 14, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Wichita Corporate Hills Marriott. The evening begins with a welcome reception. Dinner will be served at 7 pm. After the formal program, the party begins with music provided by Natural Change, a smooth jazz and R&B band from Dallas, TX.
The Black and White Ball, Heartlands’s premier fundraising event of the year, focuses on community and statewide recognition of Black Business owner’s positive contributions to the state.
The formal program for the evening includes the induction of members into the inaugural class of Wichita’s Black Business Hall of Fame. Individuals to be inducted include: Robert Alford, Rip Gooch, and Charles McAFee. Members to be inducted posthumously are: Dr. Othello Curry, Xavia Hightower Howard, and Henry Wofford. The Jackson Family, past and present owners of Jackson Mortuary, will also be inducted into the Hall-of-Fame.
The awards program is designed to celebrate the inductee’s accomplishments and to encourage other minority and small business owners to strive for excellence.
The keynote speaker for the evening will be Sidney King, Regional President of Liberty Bank and Trust’s Kansas/Missouri Region. Based in Kansas City, Liberty Bank is the country’s second largest Black-owned bank.
Tickets to the ball are $100 per person and $75 for Heartland members. Tables of 10 tickers are available for $800.
For more information, or tickets, contact Kevin Andrews at 316-393-7252 or Bernard Knowles at 316-210-2033.