We have been looking back at our philanthropic programs in the last few weeks and celebrating their growth and evolution over the past thirty years.

Now, we are shifting our focus to reminisce about the beginnings of funding initiatives and looking at our present-day activities.

The original idea was straightforward: to organize an annual fundraising event that would stand out and make a lasting impression on attendees. The Ball of the Wild event was created to raise funds for philanthropic programs and generate a sense of urgency among the community to attend.

The first event was held outdoors at the Armand Bayou Nature Center in 1989, in line with its theme. Prizes for the raffle tickets included round-trip tickets to Spain, a mink and leather jacket, and a Parvizian oriental rug. The dancing didn’t start until 11 p.m. Excitement filled the air, and accompanying that energy was a different kind… thunderclouds. Torrential rains came, but alas…no one left as this became the STORY, still recalled today with laughter and a deep satisfaction and pride of how committed attendees were to raise the necessary funds to support the philanthropic programs.

The organization decided to alternate between the Ball of the Wild and Weegatta, a smaller but equally financially supportive event. Initially, the Ball of the Wild didn’t have a specific theme, but after three years, themes were introduced. Some of the themes included An Evening of Magical Vibes (1995), Exotica (1997), A Safari Soiree (1999), Zebra (2001), and Kapalua (2003). In the mid-2000s, the themes of the annual fundraising event changed. However, in 2009, in a nod to the past, the Ball of the Wild Wild West was held outdoors at the Friendswood White House Ranch, and in 2017, the event reverted to its original theme without a specific name.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who put in their hard work to make each Ball of the Wild a great success for our attendees and recipients of our philanthropic program. We give a special shout-out to our sponsors and local businesses who generously donated funds and items for our auctions and raffles, which helped us fulfill our mission at Assistance League of the Bay Area. We also want to thank everyone who attended and supported us during the last 35 years.