Son's surgery impetus for soiree's co-chairmen

Erin and John Carter were inspired to co-chair this year’s Chocolate Fantasy Ball for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas after meeting  families who need a place  to stay when  their children are sick. The chocolate-laden event is Feb. 9 at the Statehouse Convention Center.
Erin and John Carter were inspired to co-chair this year’s Chocolate Fantasy Ball for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas after meeting families who need a place to stay when their children are sick. The chocolate-laden event is Feb. 9 at the Statehouse Convention Center.

Erin Carter's pregnancy with her second child was normal, so nothing prepared her and her husband, John, for the terror they faced when Jayce was born with a life-threatening heart defect.

The Little Rock couple were sent with their newborn son from Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock to Arkansas Children's Hospital for his open-heart surgery. At the hospital they met parents who weren't as fortunate -- they were from out of town and couldn't dash home for a hot shower or a warm meal.

John was already serving on the Ronald McDonald House finance committee, so he had a good idea of the help the organization provides to sick children's families who need a place to stay. But after Jayce's birth on Nov. 23, 2010, he really appreciated the plight of these families.

Thanks to the Ronald McDonald House, "they don't have to worry about where to stay," says John, who is chief credit officer at Bank OZK. "This is the place that is near and dear to us."

"This is a place you never want to use, but it is a blessing that it's available," adds Erin, a pharmacist who is now a stay-at-home mom.

Jayce became a happy, healthy 8-year-old. His sister, Ashley, is 10. They are pupils at Little Rock Christian Academy.

But at the time, "it was just jaw dropping," Erin says of the news about Jayce's heart. "And it was terrifying."

That experience was the motivation the couple needed to chair this year's Chocolate Fantasy Ball benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas. The event is Feb. 9 at the Statehouse Convention Center.

The couple have set a goal of $500,000 -- up at least $25,000 from last year. They expect 700 people to attend the chocolate feast.

"There will be lots and lots and lots of chocolate -- 6,000-plus pieces of chocolate," John says.

The handmade chocolates are being created and donated by area chocolate artisans. Each of the 45 to 50 chocolate vendors is asked to provide 150 pieces of bite-size chocolate. The treats will range from chocolate cookies and chocolate-covered strawberries to mocha cupcakes with espresso icing. Libations will include a chocolate martini.

And it's more than just a sugar high. The main course of the sit-down dinner features braised short ribs, chive-infused mashed potatoes with edamame dill succotash. Chocoholics will not be disappointed with dessert -- chocolate orange mousse with white chocolate Mikado and Parisian chocolate cake with toasted hazelnuts.

Guests can participate in silent and live auctions. The live auction block includes a trip to Destin, Fla., with a private plane and a luxury hotel; hunting and fishing trips; and high-end jewelry.

And there is "The Door" raffle. Guests can buy $100 raffle tickets for the chance to win a key to open a door. At the end of the evening, 10 ticket-holders will be called onstage. Each will draw one of 10 keys, but only one key will unlock "The Door." The winner will get a trip to New York and prizes worth more than $4,000.

Money raised at the event covers about a third of the organization's operating budget. According to the organization's 2017 impact report, the Ronald McDonald House hosted 1,138 families for 9,619 nights. During that year, 39,470 meals were served at the house.

The Ronald McDonald House opened its doors in 1980 in an eight-bedroom house near Children's Hospital as a "home-away-from home." Rooms were added over time, bringing the number of bedrooms to 28. But bathrooms were communal, and the living areas were small.

After years of raising money, work was completed in November 2016 on a new house. A block away from Children's Hospital, the new place -- at 32,000 square feet -- is three times the size of the old house. It has 32 suites with private bathrooms, a huge kitchen, an 80-seat dining room, lounge areas, indoor and outdoor play spaces, basketball half-court, laundry facilities, library and more.

One of the suites is the Jayce Suite, named for the Carters' son. A photo of Jayce is in the room. He has visited it, and his parents report that he thinks it's pretty cool for it to bear his name.

This year marks the 16th anniversary of the Chocolate Fantasy Ball. Susan Miller, a certified public accountant, is the honoree. She has been a longtime supporter of the Ronald McDonald House.

John's employer -- Bank OZK -- is the presenting sponsor of the event. The Carters are the crystal sponsors. Aaron Nolan, an anchor on KARK-TV, will be emcee. Music is by Boom Kinetic!

More information about Chocolate Fantasy Ball XVI can be found at rmhcarkansas.org.

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Erin and John Carter were supporters of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas even before their son Jayce was born with a life-threatening heart defect. Jayce is now a happy, healthy 8-year-old, and a suite in the house is named in his honor.

High Profile on 01/20/2019

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