Medical foundation happy with fundraiser
Muffy Bullock laughs as she holds up a boot that was going to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Ken Overcast, who performed, was responsible for auctioning off the boots.
The winners in the best dressed category were Rita Conklin and Grant Bailey.
Ed Hollenback and Roger Brown take a second to smile for the camera as they 'keep guard' over the meat.
The tables were set with appropriate cowboy decor on April 2.
The Mineral County Medical Foundation sold out all of its dinner tickets for the second annual “Boots and Buckles Bash” Fundraiser on April 2, but they didn’t turn away anyone who wanted in.
“It was a great success,” said Ellie Hollenback, from the Foundation. “We had people coming to the door thinking they didn’t need a ticket, but they had planned on paying. We didn’t turn anyone away.”
Hollenback said that they probably had around 180 people at the event.
Maggie Dahl, the chairperson of the Foundation, said that the evening went off without a hitch.
“It was a fantastic evening,” Dahl said.
The dinner kicked off at 6 p.m. and many guests showed up dressed in their best cowboy apparel for the event. Flower arrangements stuck inside cowboy boots decorated the tables. As folks sat down to eat, they were entertained by Montana’s own cowboy poet and musician, Ken Overcast, and his 12-year-old granddaughter, respectively known as Fiddling Faith.
It is estimated that the event raised around $5,000 for the Foundation. In addition to the price of the ticket for the steak dinner, raffle tickets were also sold and the cowboy boot centerpieces were auctioned off.
Hollenback said the one wouldn’t typically think that “cowboy boots stuffed with plastic flowers would look great.” However, the boots, which were decorated by Alice Botkins, looked amazing. They brought close to $500 alone.
Hollenback said that the funds that were raised through the event will be used to try and replenish the Foundation’s accounts. The group recently spent $30,000 for a new operating table for the hospital. Past projects include a walk-in bath for the nursing home and a remodel of the clinic. These are just a few projects that money raised from events have supported.
“We’re trying to aid the hospital,” Hollenback said, “with funds that are able to be used for additional equipment. We really appreciate the support of the community. Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to do the things that we do for the hospital.”
Hollenbeck said that even with the economy the way it is, residents from throughout the county showed up to play their part in helping the Foundation to raise needed funds.
Finally, the evening also featured a few awards. Jessica Kuhl-Van Cleff won the first place prize of $300 from the raffle. The second place prize went to Carol Billadeau, who won $150. Don Atherton won the third place prize of $50. The best dressed award went to Rita Conklin and the best dressed cowboy award went to Grant Bailey.
Once again, the citizens of Mineral County were “outstanding in rounding up and corralling funds” for the hospital, clinic and long-term care facility. Hollenback said that she hopes the community realizes how much they appreciate their support.
“We just want to thank them so much,” she said.