by Audrey Hanes, photography by Melissa Donner

Every year, the women of Junior Auxiliary of Jonesboro work to impact the lives of thousands of children and youth in Craighead County. Their annual Charity Ball, now in its 55th year, raises all the funds for the nonprofit organization’s 12 service projects, this year at a fun and timely ‘Wizard of Oz’ themed evening that promises to “wow” attendees and donors.

Chairing the 2026 Charity Ball is Finance Project Chair Sommer Poe, now in her fourth year with Junior Auxiliary of Jonesboro (JA). Poe, who works at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, was excited to join an organization that furthered her love for service to area children.     

“My sister-in-law, Kirby Massey Smith, was vice president the year that I joined JA, and I was able to serve with her my provisional year and the next year when she was president,” said Poe. “It was awesome to be able to learn from her and have her mentor me. I really look up to her because she is a wonderful Christian woman who is kind to every person no matter the situation. She suggested I join because I work at a school and love being around children. I also feel working at a school gives me insight when working with children of all ages.”

That heart for service led her to say, “Yes,” when asked to co-chair the 2025 Charity Ball and chair the 2026 Charity Ball, a task that takes creativity, organization and countless hours of planning, along with the support of a hard-working committee.

“This year’s theme, An Evening in Oz: the Emerald City Awaits, sort of came about when the movie ‘Wicked’ came out,” said Poe. “The first movie was released in November of 2024. At the time I was Charity Ball co-chair, so I knew I would have to come up with a theme. Once Charity Ball 2025 was concluded, everyone kept asking what the theme would be for next year. I knew the release date for the second part was going to be in November, and that’s when we start selling tickets. I feel like it was perfect timing to promote ticket sales while everyone was excited about the conclusion of ‘Wicked.’ Also, I just love a pink and green moment.

“Guests can expect a carefully curated menu, silent auction and a “Wizard of Oz’ themed live auction for which Sissy’s Log Cabin is back for the fourth year in a row with a shopping spree and new offerings, not to mention Savannah Banana tickets in two different cities and a puppy from Fairytale Lane Labradoodles. After the program comes to an end, guests can play table games in the game room to compete for a gun safe donated by Greenway. There will be a live band, Everyday Life, which is local, and after their set we will have a DJ to end the night.”

Poe says there are some fun surprises in store for guests, including the overall look and feel of the event, which will take place Feb. 28 at Red Wolf Convention Center.

“I am most looking forward to the decorations and layout of Charity Ball this year,” said Poe. “Without giving too much away, I’m anxious to see guests’ reactions upon walking into the ballroom. I am also hoping to raise a lot of money for the children.”

“I can't wait to see the juxtaposition in the room between the Elphabas and the Glindas,” added JA President Veronica Trimarchi, a fifth-year member. “Every year, our guests do such a great job dressing for the theme, but I'm not sure we've ever had a theme where you clearly have to choose which side you want to represent.”

The dedicated women of JA focus on the nonprofit’s 12 service projects, which work to improve the lives of Jonesboro’s children, youth and families in the health, welfare, civic and educational fields. The nonprofit organization’s current projects include Growing Healthy, Crown Club, Molly the MegaBody, Literacy and More, Kickstart Kindergarten, The Learning Center, Consolidated Youth Services (CYS), Community Outreach Programs, Share and Wear, Scholarship and Girls Enrichment.

Holding a successful Charity Ball is something the women of JA take very seriously in order to fund those service projects, traditionally raising around $200,000 each year.

“Charity Ball is our sole fundraiser for the entire year; each of our 12 service projects are funded by donations obtained at Charity Ball,” said Poe. “One project that I have been a part of is Share and Wear: this is an immediate need that a child has in regard to clothing. It could be anything from shirts, shorts, pants, underwear, socks, shoes or a winter coat.” 

JA members say the requests come in daily, and they work to fulfill the need usually within a few hours.

“Share and Wear is one of my favorite projects because I have personally seen how it effects a child in need,” said Poe. “If your basic needs like clothing are not met, you are not going to be able to focus at school. We have follow-up reports from counselors in the schools we serve who tell us what a difference having adequate clothing and functional shoes have done for a child’s confidence and ability to concentrate. 

“One memory that has stayed with me from Share and Wear is when I got a call from a school about a family who had just moved here from Mexico. It was considerably colder here than what they were accustomed to, and none of the children had coats. The counselor also told me that they had been in the same clothing for the past three days. I was able to buy shirts, pants, shoes, socks, underwear and coats for each of the three children, and the counselor reached out to me after I delivered the clothes and said that one of the children spoke for the first time since arriving here.”

Another project that Poe has personally seen impact lives of local children is CYS, where JA members provide positive direction, mentoring and fun for the young ladies temporarily housed at Consolidated Youth Services. CYS is a short-term residential treatment center for individuals ages 8-18 who are facing challenges within their home, school or community. 

“I adore these young ladies and the opportunity to be a positive role model in their lives,” said Poe. “A particularly touching moment I will never forget was when we celebrated a 15th birthday for one of the girls. We got her a cake and a couple of gifts and when singing her happy birthday, she began to cry. When we asked what was wrong, she said she had never had a birthday cake before. I think people can take lots of things for granted, and in that moment, I made a promise to myself to always be thankful for everything, even a birthday cake. … 

“We are made up of (close to) 100 members who are mothers, have careers and families that choose to join this organization and spend time away from their own families to enrich the lives of other families here in Craighead County. I look up to all of them and hope they know how much their service means to our community.”

Trimarchi similarly wants members and supporters to dig deep and find the immense value in what the organization is doing for local children to make a difference. 

“I think we all become so busy in our own lives that we forget to look beyond our bubble,” said Trimarchi. “We have so many underserved areas of our community, and Junior Auxiliary can touch those weak areas and provide light and service. It’s unrealistic to think every person in Craighead has the time, energy and resources to pour into these children when we are all so busy with our careers and families. But the Junior Auxiliary and our volunteers can bridge that gap daily.”

The JA president says that anyone who wants to be a tiny part of that difference without the full-time commitment of joining JA can come to Charity Ball, donate, bid on packages and support volunteers to guarantee that the nonprofit can continue its legacy and continue fulfilling the promises its members have made to the children of Craighead County.

“I am so proud and thankful to our volunteers, our Charity Ball chairs and our JA Board for putting in countless hours to serve the community while planning this massive event every single year,” said Trimarchi. “If I could list all 89 members and give them each a personal thank-you message, I would. To all our members past and present: Because I knew you, I’ve been changed for good.”

Charity Ball 2026, An Evening in Oz: The Emerald City Awaits, will take place on Feb. 28 from 5 p.m. to midnight at The Red Wolf Convention Center at Embassy Suites of Jonesboro, located at 223 Red Wolf Blvd. To purchase tickets, text CHARITYBALL2026 to 44834. For more information, visit jajonesboro.org or find Junior Auxiliary of Jonesboro on Facebook.