Daddy Daughter Masquerade to benefit Kids' Space

Feb. 9—Visitors coming to the Kids' Space Daddy Daughter Masquerade can dress in costume — or not dress up.

"Masks are welcome, but they're not required," said Retta Thomas, Kids' Space director of services. "And, of course, we'll have masks for sale there if they cannot buy them beforehand."

Kids' Space will sponsor two Masquerades on Saturday — one from 3 to 5 p.m., the next from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Both are at The Lodge on Fern Mountain Road.

Admission is $35 per couple.

"For a daughter and her dad, her grandpa, an uncle, or even a mom," she said. "Whoever the supportive adult is in her life."

Additional adults are $15 each and additional children are $5 each.

Thomas said the dance has "no particular dress code."

"We have people dress super formal and dressed to the nines, and we have people come in more comfortable dresses," she said. "It's however people are comfortable with, however much they dress up."

Dancers can enjoy free cupcakes, cookies, popcorn, cotton candy and other treats.

Noel Cox will shoot portraits of the couples.

"We always have fun little things to purchase," she said.

Now in its 19th year, the dance is Kids' Space's longest running fundraising event, Thomas said. The dances raise $15,000 to $20,000 a year.

"All our funds raised help us provide our services to local people," she said. "We provide investigative services, such as forensic interviews and forensic exams. We provide those for child abuse and child maltreatment investigations. We partner with law enforcement and DHS. We also provide healing, therapeutic and support services. We walk people through the investigation, and we offer our support."

The organization also offers educational programs, such as "Play it Safe" prevention program, which is presented at area schools, she said.

"It educates kids on body safety," she said. "It's teaching kids that their body is their own and to know what is safe and what is not safe."

Kids' Space also connects the young victims to resources such as legal services.

"And we want to make sure people who come through our door can get therapy without having to pay out of pocket," Thomas said.

About 200 come to each dance, she said. "We do have a limit, but we always get a big enough space that we haven't ever had to turn people away."