Victim Services of Cullman’s largest fundraiser of the year, its annual Masquerade Ball and Silent Auction presented by Traditions Bank, is scheduled for Oct. 25 — and the entire community is invited.

The event coincides with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Victim Services Executive Director Carol Hortsman is hoping that the event will not only serve as a fun, social evening, but will bring awareness to the issue of domestic violence and the organization’s efforts to decrease the number of those affected by it.

“One in four women, and one in seven men, experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Children who grow up with domestic violence ofter grow up to become either an abuser or a victim, it becomes a cycle of violence in the family. All of our services are designed to end the cycle of family violence,” Hortsman said.

Hortsman estimated that about 1,000 calls are placed to Victim Services each year, and that each one of those phone calls represents an individual that receives at least one — but more often than not, multiple — of the services provided by the organization. Proceeds raised by this fundraiser will offset the gap in funding that the organization receives from grants or donations and their actual operating expenses that allow them to provide these services to Cullman and Winston counties.

“When you serve so many people and offer so many services to those people, that grant funding just doesn’t cover everything. These fundraising events kind of fill in that gap and allow us to continue to serve all of those who are in need,” Hortsman said.

Services provided by Victim Services range from both English and Spanish crisis hotlines, crisis and transitional shelters for those fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault medical examinations and evidence collection for adult victims, children’s support groups, parenting classes, community education programs and a batterers’ intervention program for those are perpetrators of domestic violence.

“We really try to touch on every aspect of those affected by domestic violence,” Hortsman said.

The Masquerade Ball will take place from 6-10 p.m. at the Brick Haven event venue with dinner and drinks being served. The silent auction that has traditionally taken place during the dinner will still take place, but this year a live auction is also planned. Items donated by the community that will be up for auction will include gift cards to local businesses, golfing packages to several area courses, Rocket City Trash Panda tickets, a Panama City, Fla., vacation package, and a fishing trip to Destin, Fla.

Tickets to event are $50 and can be purchased at the Victim Services office located at 3110 3rd Ave. NE, People’s Bank main branch on Cherokee Ave., Gateway Mortgage, or online. All contributions are appreciated and tax deductible.

A list of the event’s gold level sponsors include Jim McDonald Agency, That Thrift Store, Eckenrod Ford and Cullman Savings Bank.

A list of the event’s silver level sponsors include McGriff Tire, ERA Waldrop Real Estate, Eric and Pamela Symon, Dr. and Mrs. John Williamson, Mitch Smith Chevrolet, People’s Bank and the Cullman Rotary Club.

This story was updated on October 13, 2022 to include an additional silver sponsor.