Excitement surrounding the 20th annual Carlyle and District Lions Club Fundraising Dinner and Auction has led to a sell out days before the event is to take place.
According to Lions member Wayne Wilson everyone with tickets to sell is reporting theirs have been spoken for. But, this isn't stopping Wilson from putting names on a waiting list in case a ticket or two becomes available.
Last year the dinner raised over $30,000, and since it's heading into the 20th anniversary Wilson hopes to see them meet or surpass that mark. However, he remains humble and says the club will be happy with whatever they raise.
Money raised from the dinner and fundraising auction goes to support local projects. In the past, the Lions club has donated money to help with projects at the Carlyle Library, Rusty Relics Museum, Manor Rink, Moose Mountain Health Care Recruitment Committee, and others.
The club also put money into GICs for the past three years in order to have money to complete upgrades to bathrooms at the Lions Park in Carlyle.
This year, Wilson says the club wants to put some money away for service dogs, like the ones Conner Standingready of White Bear and Gilles George of Redvers have received.
Many companies and individuals make raffle donations for the Lions Dinner, and this year there are great ones up for grabs. Some prizes include: a computer desk; four yards of concrete; a round of golf at Carlyle Golf Club; a cup of coffee a day at A&W; a purple martin house; feather prints by Cheryl Winkler; chainsaws; 25 yards of gravel; many jackets and t-shirts; and much, much more.
"Last year we had about 170 people and businesses donate to the supper," says Wilson. "We have about 24 members in the club and we're divided into dens. So there is about six people in each den. I have a record from the last few years of who has donated, and I go through and assign businesses and people to a den and this den goes out and sees people. So each person will end up with between six and 10 businesses and people they go see."
The 20th annual Carlyle and District Lions Club Dinner and Fundraising Auction takes place March 3 in Carlyle's Memorial Hall.
Cocktails and raffle item viewing is at 5:30 p.m. with dinner catered by Eileen Corrigan and Linda Chapman starting at 7 p.m. This year's dinner is turkey, as well as pork donated by Jack and Diane Wilson.
The live auction begins at 8 p.m., with auctioneer Ward Cutler working his magic. The raffle starts around 8:30 p.m.
Anyone looking for a $25 ticket can contact Wayne Wilson at 453-6100 or 453-2800.
