Suffolk Journal
October 23, 2004
By Maeghan E. Lenz

Wicked good times await you on Friday, Oct. 29 at The Greatest Bar where the first ever Halloween Monster Ball will be held. The Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs along with The Boston Society of Young Professionals will host this one-of-a-kind charity costume party, where all proceeds will go to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities.

The Greatest Bar, located at 262 Friend Street, near North Station, is quickly becoming one of the hippest places to be on the weekend. Being open to the public for less than a month, the bar is quickly becoming a hometown favorite-literally.

"The Greatest Bar is a celebration of Boston and of all the things that make Boston legendary," says event manager, Michael Kalil.

Whether you're into the brains or the brawn of the city, the Monster Ball will have something for everyone. Party co-host, The Boston Society of Young Professionals is an organization aimed at connecting the up-and-coming businessmen and businesswomen in the area. They also have divisions in Washington, D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Los Angeles. With free membership opportunities and great networking capabilities, BSYP will boast the brains at the event.

Suffolk's next-door neighbor, Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs will bring the brawn to the Monster Ball. Operating six locations throughout the Boston area, they actually are quite familiar with giving to worthy causes throughout the area.

In fact, Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs founded the first club-based public charity in the world in 1993. Over the years, the Beacon Hill Athletic Club Charitable Foundation has given large quantities of money to benefit charities such as the Special Olympics, American Heart Association, the Lenny Fund and many others.

Each $20 donation received will be given to Ronald McDonald House Charities, which serves as a temporary, yet comfortable housing facility for families of ill children who are being treated at local hospitals. The BHACCF maintains a continuous relationship with Ronald McDonald House, as last quarter, over $1000 was raised through member donations.

Not only will your donation help to support a charitable cause, it will also give you access to all four Boston-themed floors of The Greatest Bar. Adorned throughout the floors, hi-definition plasma flat screen televisions project special tribute videos as well as whatever sporting event may be on at the time.

The first and second floors are open to the general public and are tributes to Boston's different legendary sports teams. Made exclusive to the Monster Ball party-goers are the third and fourth floors, which are focused on Boston-based and themed music and entertainment, and on the history and politics of our city, respectively.

Along with your all-access pass, you will receive complementary appetizers, samples from Budweiser and Ketel One Vodka, music from '80s cover band, Fast Times, and of course, tons of prizes, raffles and giveaways.

Throw on your Halloween costume and come down to The Greatest Bar to have a ball with the Boston Society of Young Professionals, Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs and many of your classmates, friends and neighbors. Tickets can be purchased at any Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs location. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door on the evening of the event.