Balloons, food, lights and music filled the Marvin Center ballroom for the Class Council Charity Ball, which raised about $8,000 for the John Rizzo and Tom Weaver memorial funds Friday evening.

About 325 students clad in sophisticated suits and elaborate dresses paid tribute to two unforgettable people. The night consisted of pictures, caricatures, moonlight seating, white-clothed tables and tunes from a disc jockey.

With a Fall Ball canceled shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the class council looked to unify the campus by hosting a formal. The students decided to host the event in honor of two students who have died in past two years.

Students who attended the event said they enjoyed dressing up for a fun night and a worthy cause.

“It is amazing to give money to charities that both men would have loved to give to,” sophomore Tal Viskin said.

Class Council will divide the raffle and ticket sale proceeds between the two charities. Several student organizations, including the Student Association, Marvin Center Governing Board and the College Republicans, co-sponsored the Charity Ball to allow all the profit from the event to go to charity.

“(Class Council) is absolutely thrilled with the support we got,” group president Theresa Saccardi said. “It is a testament to how great John and Tom were as people.”

The half raised for Weaver will go to the Ewing Sarcoma fund at Massachusetts General Hospital. Weaver, a former CR member, died from Ewing Sarcoma cancer in July 2000.

Rizzo was murdered last summer in New Hampshire after disappearing from his Massachusetts hometown in July. Rizzo’s parents requested his donation go to buying Christmas presents for a D.C. children’s charity in conjunction with the Neighbor’s Project.

“(The charity) is something John would love to see, because he loved giving back,” said junior Jon Guidroz, president of Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Rizzo was a Kappa Sigma member and a Thurston Hall Council representative.

Relatives of Rizzo and Weaver made the trip to attend the event.

“I don’t know how to put it in words,” said Mike Rizzo, Rizzo’s father, who traveled from Boston for the event. “It’s a great honor for so many people to come out for John.”

Former College Republicans Chair Bill Eldridge gave a speech in tribute to Weaver, who was an active member of the group during his two years at GW.

“(Tom) continues to make a difference after he’s gone. This is a sign of a great man,” Eldridge said.

Weaver also worked with John McCain’s presidential campaign, rowed for the crew team and had his own radio show on WRGW.

“Tonight proves that one person can make a difference,” Saccardi said. “(They will) remain in our hearts and prayers always.”

The dance put a “Rizzo smile,” as Guidroz refers to the former sophomore’s friendliness, on the faces of everyone who attended.

“It meant so much to John to be (at GW),” Mike Rizzo said. “He would have loved a night like this.”

Students said they enjoyed the evening and remembering Rizzo and Weaver.

“I thought it was nice that anyone in the school could come together no matter what organizations you belong to and celebrate such a great cause,” said sophomore Whitney Stern, who lived on the same floor as Rizzo in Thurston last year.

“It is a great way to bring the GW community together to give back to someone who gave so much,” sophomore Daryl Muller said.