It’s the biggest nonevent of the year and everyone is invited.

Organizers with the Citizens Committee for the Camp Verde Community Library are prepping for the fifth annual Phantom Ball, set for anytime it feels right Notaday, Dec. 32, 2012.

The committee raises funds under the guise of a nonexistent event encouraging the community to become involved despite the lack of an actual ball.

The group has been working since its creation to support the construction of a replacement for the town’s decades-old library. To date, the group has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars toward that goal.

“We’ve raised over $300,000 for a library to bid this spring,” committee President Linda Harkness said. “We want a library with the most square feet possible.”

The Phantom Ball is just a fun way to help raise funds.

Some invitations have been mailed out, but people can get their own ticket to the ball by calling 220-0013 or mailing a donation to CCCVL, P.O. Box 3762, Camp Verde, AZ 86322.

The invitation itself offers the options of giving $50 “for the privilege of not worrying about what to wear,” $100 “for not needing to remember the steps to the Electric Slide,” $250 “for the thrill of staying in slippers all evening,” and an optional amount for the opportunity to stay home. The committee is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization so donations are tax-deductible.

For the full story, see the Wednesday, Nov. 28, edition of The Camp Verde Journal.