TRACS fundraiser brings top-notch fun

TROUT CREEK – The night at the Oscars was complete with red carpets, show stopping outfits, lights, entertainment and awards at the Lakeside Resort and Hotel Convention Center over the weekend. The one thing the Academy Awards of Trout Creek had that the Hollywood version did not, animals. After all, what is an animal shelter fundraiser without an animal appearance or two?

Lizzie the lab mix took center stage at the eighth annual Pretty Darn Good Variety Show fundraiser for the Thompson River Animal Care Shelter. She performed with her owner Jan Manning for their comedic act Jan and Lizzie Interview. Lizzie donned a silver wig for the occasion. She shined bright during her time on stage but then it came time for the human acts.

There were 12 acts total not including the grand finale. Among them, there was an Irish and folk music group that called themselves Damn Good Dog like the humorous song number they performed.

Following that act, Carolyn Hindy and Deb Achatz took to the stage to perform their comedic skit and musical number as Ethyl and Euphegenia. The ladies were prisoners who had escaped from jail only to find themselves on the red carpet. To blend in, they join the show business and perform a cabernet musical number for the crowd.

The Tuxedo Tappers made up of Donna Curry, Chris Magdalene and Deb Oliver were the next ones to take the stage. They paid homage to classic jazz by tapping their feet in musical synchronization.

The ever-popular musical group The Sons of Biscuits (Ken Bickerstaff, Bill Eckloff and Dave Oliver otherwise known as Shorty, Rooster and Tex) followed the tappers and won the crowd over with their charming combination of jokes and country music.

All of the acts had the audience laughing and applauding with smiles on their faces. The hard work the entertainers put in paid off. According to TRACS Chair Wanda Thorpe, the entertainers begin preparing for the event almost a year in advance.

“They all work really hard throughout the course of the year and they will be meeting soon to discuss next year’s event,” Thorpe said. “They are definitely committed to making a great show.”

In between the entertainment, the live auction took place. The auction was met with much success and the bidders seemed pleased with the available items. A necklace with antique crystals went for $110 and the hand-crafted solid oak hall tree bench sold for $400. The encased footprint of a Montana grizzly was highly sought after and ended up selling for $510 to the highest bidder.

Based on Thorpe’s calculations, the live auction plus ticket sales and donations earned around $8,800 for TRACS.

“We are definitely really happy with how wonderfully the event went and the amazing attendance,” Thorpe said. This is going to help cover the expenses of TRACS for at least a month.”

The next event for TRACS will be their annual June garage sale. September 14 will be their fall festival, the River Wine Festival. Thorpe hopes to go bigger and better this year.