August 23, 2025
JW Marriott
Join Big Brothers Big Sisters for Austin’s brightest gem, the 2025 Ice Ball gala.
Celebrate an unforgettable night that changes young lives right here in our community! In 2025, we will mark the 21st anniversary of the Ice Ball Gala, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas’ premier event
This is your chance to be part of something truly transformative for Central Texas kids. Every year, Big Brothers Big Sisters impacts over 500 children, but there are still hundreds of kids waiting to be matched with mentors. Your support at the gala enables us to provide mentoring to those still on the waiting list and helps us recruit future Bigs, empowering youth to reach their full potential.
Join us for a spectacular evening and make a lasting difference.
Gala Chairs: Lara Burns Boyda & Matthew Boyda
We are pleased to welcome Jason Vitanza and Philisa Giannukos as our 2024 Ice Ball Gala Chairs. Jason is the CTO/Owner of Shadow IT Services, an IT Managed Services Provider in Austin. Philisa is a freelance event manager as well as an ambassador for HelloNabr, an organization whose purpose is to build community experiences by partnering with homeowners’ associations around the Austin area. She is currently developing her brand “Phil the Magic” specializing in apparel, wearable art, and custom jackets.
Jason became involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters after attending the agency’s Ice Ball Gala more than 11 years ago. Since then, he has served on the Ice Ball Host Committee, his company has been an Ice Ball and Bowl for Kids sponsor, he and Philisa have chaired the agency’s Bowl for Kids event, he has served on BBBS’ Executive Board of Directors, and he has also been, and remains, a proud Big Brother to his Little Brother Maverick. Philisa has also been involved in numerous BBBS activities, including serving on the Ice Ball Host Committee for the past 3 years and co-chairing our 2023 Bowl for Kids event.
2024 Ice VII Honorees: Christine & Blake Absher
In 2024, the gala’s 20th anniversary year, we are proud to honor Christine and Blake Absher with this year’s Ice VII award.
Blake, an Advisory Council member and former Big Brother, served as a member of BBBS’ Executive Board for 6 years and as Executive Board Chair in 2018 and 2019.
He and Christine are long-time agency donors and supporters, they have served on the Ice Ball Host Committee for many years, and they were Ice Ball Gala Chairs in 2017, a year when they led the event to even greater financial success amidst a category 1 hurricane.
In addition to their own personal involvement, the pair have recruited and rallied other individuals and organizations to support the agency’s mission as volunteers, donors, event sponsors, and agency champions. In 2015, under Blake’s leadership, BB&T (now Truist Bank) made a 3-year, $120,000 commitment to support the gala as the Ice Ball’s first ever Diamond-level sponsor.
With hearts as big as Texas, Christine and Blake are true agency champions whose influence and impact have contributed to the enormous success BBBS, and Ice Ball, enjoy today.
2024 ICE BALL HOST COMMITTEE
- Jason Vitanza & Philisa Giannukos, 2024 Chairs
- Christine & Blake Absher
- Sofia Aranha
- Becky Bonham
- Lara Burns Boyda & Matthew Boyda
- Sarah & Zac Carroll
- Brandon Christensen
- Denver Dunlap
- Alison & Trey Fly
- Vivian & Hugh Forrest
- Leela Gunnarson-Cragg & Jason Cragg
- Shellie Hayes-McMahon & Matt McMahon
- Pamela & Will Hurley
- Lonnie Limon
- Connie & Bill Nelson
- Holmes Onwukaife
- Alexis Simon Moore & Gordon Moore
- Kate Stoker
- Sarah & Albert Swantner
- Karen Vilches
BECOME A 2025 ICE BALL SPONSOR
DIAMOND
$50,000
- Exclusive designation as Diamond Sponsor
- Opportunity for company representative to participate in media interviews & community speaking engagements (dependent on securing and execution)
- Inclusion in all Ice Ball event coverage (dependent on securing and execution)
- Four premium placement tables, each for 10 guests, at the event
- Complimentary valet parking
- Premium wine service
- Company introduction during opening remarks of Ice Ball experience
- Hotel accommodations for two (one room)
- Logo featured on Ice Ball “step & repeat” backdrop
- Invitations to BBBS VIP experiences for one year
- Prominent logo recognition on invitation, program, website, event emails, sponsor presentation and all marketing materials
- Full page feature in the gala program
- Social media recognition
- Logo on printed advertisements with local media (dependent on securing and execution)
SAPPHIRE
$35,000
- Inclusion in all Ice Ball event coverage (dependent on securing and execution)
- Three premium placement tables, each for 10 guests, at the event
- Complimentary valet parking
- Premium wine service
- Hotel accommodations for two (one room)
- Verbal recognition during Ice Ball program
- Logo featured on Ice Ball “step & repeat” backdrop
- Invitations to BBBS VIP experiences for one year
- Prominent logo recognition on invitation, program, website, event emails, sponsor presentation and all marketing materials
- Half-page feature in the gala program
- Logo on printed advertisements with local media (dependent on securing and execution)
- Social media recognition
PLATINUM
$25,000
- Inclusion in select Ice Ball event coverage (dependent on securing and execution)
- Two premium placement tables, each for 10 guests, at the event
- Complimentary valet parking
- Premium wine service
- Verbal recognition during Ice Ball program
- Logo featured on Ice Ball “step & repeat” backdrop
- Invitations to BBBS VIP experiences for one year
- Logo recognition on invitation, program, website, event emails, sponsor presentation and all marketing materials
- Quarter-page feature in the gala program
- Logo on printed advertisements with local media (dependent on securing and execution)
- Social media recognition
CRYSTAL
$15,000
- Inclusion in select Ice Ball event coverage (dependent on securing and execution)
- Two preferred placement tables, each for 10 guests, at the event
- Invitations to BBBS VIP experiences for one year
- Logo recognition on invitation, program, website, event emails, sponsor presentation and all marketing materials
- Name on printed advertisements with local media (dependent on securing and execution)
- Social media recognition
GOLD
$10,000
- Two reserved tables for twenty guests at event
- Invitations to BBBS VIP experiences for one year
- Logo recognition on invitation, program, website, event emails, sponsor presentation and all marketing materials
- Name on printed advertisements with local media (dependent on securing and execution)
- Social media recognition
SILVER
$5,000
- One reserved table for ten guests at event
- Logo recognition on invitation, program, website, event emails, sponsor presentation and all marketing materials
- Social media recognition
BRONZE
$3,500
- One reserved table for ten guests at event
- Name recognition on invitation, program, website, event emails, and sponsor presentation
ANNIVERSARY PACKAGE
$2,500
- Includes two tickets to the gala with preferred seating, a Fund A Friendship gift, and recognition for this early support
TICKETS
$500 EACH
- The hottest ticket to the coolest event in town! Includes dinner, drinks, live auction, silent auction, pre-event happy hour, fund-a-friendship, mission story, post-event party, dancing, and more.
THANKS TO OUR 2024 SPONSORS
SAPPHIRE
PLATINUM
CRYSTAL
GOLD
SILVER
BRONZE
IN-KIND
2023 ICE BALL TABLE SPONSORS
2023 FUND A FRIENDSHIP SPONSORS
FUND A FRIENDSHIP
ABOUT BBBS
At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas, we’ve been impacting the lives of children for more than 50 years by pairing children ages 6 and above with caring, adult mentors in Travis, Williamson and Hays counties. By supporting positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people, we work to strengthen each child’s ability to succeed and thrive in life.
FUND A FRIENDSHIP
It costs $1,250 to fund a life-changing mentoring relationship for a child for a year. There are still hundreds of children on our waiting list who are looking for the opportunity to be matched with a mentor of their own. Your Fund A Friendship gift provides kids like these with the one-to-one support they need to succeed in life.
WHY? HERE’S WHAT THE KIDS SAY:
“I want a Big Sister to go places with and have fun. She would be my best friend and I wouldn’t be lonely.”
“I want someone to be my friend. Someone I can talk to and who can help me when I have problems.”
“I want to have a good life. I want a Big Sister to help me succeed.”
Your 100% tax-deductible Fund A Friendship gift can change a child’s life for the better, forever. Give now.
