The 2011 Red and Black Ball is Friday.

Davidson College’s Warner Hall eating house will host the annual Red and Black Ball on Friday night, its annual fund-raiser for organizations that work on HIV/AIDS treatment and awareness. The gala comes a day after Thursday’s World AIDS Day commemorations.

The ball is Friday, Dec. 2 from 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the college’s Lilly Family Gallery, in the Chambers Building. This year’s event includes dancing to a live band, desserts and prize drawings and a silent auction, with items ranging from iPods to jewelry to vacation homes.

All proceeds will benefit two HIV/AIDS-focused organizations, one local and one international. RAIN (Regional Aids Interfaith Network) operates out of Charlotte as a network for supporting those living with HIV/AIDS. It also participates in awareness and outreach events.

The second organization is the Mwandi Christian Mission Hospital in Mwandi, Zambia. This partnership came out of the Davidson Pre-Med/Biology summer abroad program in Zambia, where Davidson students work at the Mwandi hospital, many of whose patients are HIV positive or have been affected in some way by the disease. The hospital in the past has used Warner Hall’s grants to add needed wards to the hospital and to continue renovations.

The Red and Black Ball caps off a year of fund-raising events, which has included dining days at Char-grill and at Davidson’s new Red Mango (in Davidson Commons). On Thursday, a portion of the sales at the Red Mango will go to the Red and Black Ball causes.

Tickets for the Ball are $15 for students, $20 for faculty, and $25 for community members. They may be purchased by emailing Sara Leffingwell (saleffingwell@davidson.edu). All ticket prices increase by $5 at the door.

See more about the event at the Red and Black Ball website.