A full house of guests bid for 40 items during the live and silent auction segments of the recent BRTC Foundation Gala, marking the seventh year for the popular event. Auction items alone netted almost $6,000, though total proceeds from the event will increase when all revenues and expenses have been tabulated.
The upbeat Gala is one of the activities of the Foundation to generate funds for scholarships and other needs of the college. As in the past, guests enjoyed an elegant dinner while continuing to bid on items in the Silent Auction. These items ranged from handmade “Sad Shad” Fishing Lures to a beautiful diamond necklace. Following the gourmet dinner, prepared by the Dietetics students, the Gala featured a light-hearted Live Auction with “Colonel” Jack McCord moving the bidding along, assisted by “Ringmen” Mike Dunn and John Jackson of the BRTC Board of Trustees. Guests generously bid and battled each other for items ranging from a Lab puppy package to a cash-filled designer purse.
Held in the Randolph County Development Center, the Gala was made special with a décor of countless colorful Japanese lanterns of all sizes suspended from the ceiling, along with orchid branches in water-filled vases on each table, a setting designed and coordinated by Ann Savage of the Office of Development. Travis Rainbolt provided instrumental and vocal dinner music. Members of the Auto Collision Repair and Automotive Service Tech programs took care of valet parking, while Phi Theta Kappa members provided the coat check service. Members of the President’s Leadership Council participated in various ways, including in decorating, venue set-up and take down, and assisting with the serving of the dinner. Felicia Hausman was the event photographer. Also providing invaluable assistance was the BRTC Maintenance Department.
BRTC President Dr. Wayne Hatcher announced the Gala guest whose name had been drawn and was thus awarded a “naming opportunity” for one of the Gala-generated scholarships for next y ear: Alice McHaney of Walnut Ridge.
Brenda Walls of the BRTC Foundation serves as Gala Chair. Other Gala Committee members are Mike Dunn, Lee Ann Rutter, Vickie French, Sharon Watson, Ann Savage, and Dr. Jan Ziegler.