Press Release

Poinsettia Ball Promises a Golden Evening to Participants

What will be gold and white and festive all over? The annual Poinsettia Ball of Burgess Foundation set for Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Onawa Community Center.

White and gold are the colors of choice for décor this year because they’re formal and help convey glamour of the holidays this time of year, says Sharon Taylor, the ball’s decoration chair. Taylor, director of risk management in her full-time job at Burgess has been shopping for holiday decorations since last Christmas, picking up items at discounted prices and on sale.

“I like looking at pretty things and things that make me think I’m in an elegant place,” says Taylor, explaining her style and choices. Over the months she’s found gold tinsel, centerpiece candles, hanging ornaments, gold paper, miniature gold trees, miles of ribbon, white tulle and more. White poinsettias in gold-foiled pots will add to the evening flair.

A special addition this year will be personally tailored chair covers with ribbon ties to help transform the center’s 200 folding chairs. More than 100 yards of white kona cotton fabric is being cut into 400 pieces for two sections per chair. A group of sewers are gathering and sewing the pieces together and will insert the tulle ribbon for a final flourish. The project is being led by Pat Fanning of Burgess and her sister Jay Wright.

Party planners have determined a way to share the covers with others after the ball. The 200 chair covers will be available for weddings and other events for a donation to Burgess Foundation, says Shirley Bruegger, Burgess Foundation director.

To cover the chairs and decorate the day before the Ball Taylor will be getting help from a small army of volunteers. “People really step forward for this event,” she says. “A lot of people will just show up that day.” Like Taylor, they also may be donating items for the buffet or auction. Taylor is again making her popular salmon mousse and Bavarian mints.

Glittering holiday décor, party food, auction gifts and the ball’s charitable project all make the $45 per person ticket price worthwhile. The Burgess Foundation will use the proceeds to fund the purchase of a Bactec 9050, a lab instrument that continuously monitors blood cultures to speed diagnosis and treatment and shorten patients’ hospital stays.

Ball tickets are for sale at Burgess, First Federal in Onawa, First State Bank in Mapleton, Burgess clinics in Dunlap and Sloan and the Whiting Family Pharmacy.