Annual Auction and Gala Was a Tropical Success!

On April 9^th, 150 of our best supporters and friends gathered at the Radisson Hotel in Santa Maria for our 40^th annual Auction and Gala.  With the theme “An Evening in the Tropics” the event committee created an elegant, tropical paradise complete with floral tablescapes, fruity drinks, and music that transported attendees to the vacation spot of their dreams.  Guests were greeted with champagne and welcomed with an array of silent auction items to peruse and bid on using the state of the art online bidding system the Boys & Girls Club has been using for a number of years. Dinner was served and guests were greeted by event emcee, KSBY morning show host Neil Hebert who was charming and delightful.  CEO Michael Boyer made a short presentation showcasing the amazing work and milestones reached by the organization over these challenging years which motivated and encouraged attendees to be as supportive as possible as the night wore on.  Key Note speaker, Lizet, Club Alumni and now Youth Development Professional working for our Clubs shared her story and reminded everyone how great futures are made for young people who have access to the programs and relationships that come from membership in the Boys & Girls Clubs. Todd Ventura, long time auctioneer for this event and great friend to the Boys & Girls Clubs got the room buzzing, first with a dessert auction—the highlight of that round was a Key Lime Pie donated by Event Chair, Paula Van Galio, which sold for $3000.00!  Todd kept things moving right into the Live Auction and 13 items sold quickly with lots of paddle raising.  Finally, the Have a Heart appeal allowed donors to give money to support the cause at any level they were comfortable with.  The entire evening raised over $125,000 and was a huge hit with everyone who attended.