The 2023 Rose Ball raises half a million to benefit local charities

The Charity Ball Board of Greenville shattered fundraising records for the 2023 Rose Ball, distributing $522,000 to its beneficiaries, which the committee announced at a reception on Oct. 19.

Continuing in the ball’s 52-year tradition, half of the proceeds benefit Bon Secours St. Francis Health System. This year, Bon Secours St. Francis will direct more than $260,000 toward its Cancer Center. The funds will help incorporate surgical subspecialties including urologic oncology, surgical oncology and breast surgery. It will also expand the Bon Secours Hematology and Oncology practice, as well as add an Apheresis processing center to support its Hematological Oncology program.

The remaining half of the proceeds of the 2023 Rose Ball were divided among the following local charities, which will use the funds to advance their organizational missions:

• Cancer Society of Greenville County
• Conestee Nature Preserve
• Fostering Great Ideas
• Greenville Free Medical Clinic
• Greenville Literacy Association
• Greenville Tech Foundation
• Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County
• OnTrack Greenville
• RIZE Prevention
• Roper Mountain Science Center
• Safe Harbor
• The Children’s Museum of the Upstate
• The Family Effect
• United Ministries
• Washington High School Alumnae Association

The 2023 Rose Ball beneficiaries were selected from 67 prequalified agencies in Greenville County in the areas of arts, education, environment, and health and human services. The Charity Ball Board of Greenville’s Beneficiaries Committee, led by chair Courtney Atkinson, spearheaded the effort of evaluating the applications and meeting with the agencies. Leading the fundraising effort, Chris Hayes served as chair of the Benefactors Committee.

“We are beyond thrilled by the record-breaking results of this year’s Rose Ball, which are a true testament to our community’s generosity,” said Dan Adams, chair of the Charity Ball Board of Greenville. “These funds will help advance the critical work our nonprofit community does every day to make Greenville a better place, and I’m grateful to all of our benefactors and volunteers for their tremendous support.”

About The Rose Ball

In 1971, the Charity Ball Board of Greenville was organized to sponsor a ball for a charitable community benefit. The Rose Ball was the first ball held in Greenville that would solicit public support to benefit charities in the community. The proceeds from the Rose Ball are distributed throughout the community with Bon Secours St. Francis Health System receiving 50% of the funding. Over the past fifty-two years, the Rose Ball has raised more than $5,000,000 to benefit the physical, emotional, educational, environmental and cultural needs of the people of Greenville County.