Charity (and cash) are big draws at Missoula dinner
Pub Date: 12/1/2006
By Roger Porter
When the evenings turn nippy and the Griz fans come out in droves it must just about be time for the annual Missoula County Tavern Owners Association Benefit Dinner.
And, time it was as a crowd gathered November 9 at Missoula' Double Tree Inn for this long anticipated event.
The theme of this years event was "Shots of the Past" and the banquet room was decorated with black and silver balloons giving it a "film noire" ambiance straight out of a Raymond Chandler mystery.
An hour and one half cocktail segment preceded the dinner allowing the guests a chance to mingle, renew old acquaintances and review the many items included in the evening's silent auction.
Also on display were the many liquor baskets which would be drawn for over the course of the evening. Over the past few years these fabulous liquor baskets have become one of the main attractions of the Missoula affair.
Since the dinner wasn't scheduled to begin until 7:30 p.m., a nice selection of appetizers were spread out to take the edge off the guests' appetites. Included in the appetizer offerings were ham and cream cheese rolls, spinach, vegetable and cheese puff pastry, deviled eggs, asparagus spears wrapped in gourmet ham, mushrooms stuffed with crab, homemade meatballs, pork egg rolls and fresh veggies with dip.
It was a wonderful offering which did indeed did the job intended.
Lending a laid back touch to the cocktail hour were the piano stylings of Jody Marshall, which just seemed to fit in with the occasion.
As the cocktail hour rolled on the guests were encouraged to purchase tickets for the 50/50 drawing, the eighth calcutta seat drawing and the liquor basket raffle. It seemed that when all was said and done, everyone had nearly a full roll of multi colored tickets from which to vie for the offerings of the night.
The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Mike Grunow, reprising his prize winning role of the past. Mike runs a pretty tight ship and when he calls for the crowd's attention, or to settle them down, they usually heed him within a nano second.
This year's event attracted a good crowd and as the dinner hour grew near Mike set to inquire as to which tables had empty seats in order to accommodate all the guests.
As the crowd settled in, Grunow introduced Montana Tavern Association President Jupe Compton and Montana Tavern Times representative Roger Porter to the crowd. He also thanked association secretary Laurie Clark for all her hard work in putting on the grand affair. Callie Aschim, Director of Catering for the Double Tree, was also lauded for her part in assembling the evening's gastronomical delights.
Immediately following the introductions Mike began drawing table numbers to set in motion trips to the Edgewater buffet. Diners then descended on the buffet tables and piled their plates high with baked halibut with lemon thyme vinaigrette, seasonal vegetables, salads, roasted baby red potatoes, wild rice pilaf and crowned by a trip to the baron of beef carving station.
Kudos to Executive Chef Leon Anderson and his sous chefs Paul Johnson and Ben Aucutt for a splendid meal.
From that point on it was non-stop action as the many liquor baskets were drawn for, together with the seating of the preliminary winners at the head table who would later vie for the big calcutta drawing money.
Grunow really did get the crowd's attention when he announced that Montana' recent Senator-Elect Jon Tester was just rushed to the hospital. The crowd let out a collective sigh and sat on the edge of their chairs until he described the malady being "burns on his back," a clever allusion to Tester' general election opponent, Sen. Conrad Burns.
Feeding the crowd proceeded smoothly, as did the drawing for liquor baskets and head table seats.
Suddenly all the liquor baskets were given away and all the head table seats filled and it came time for the moment of truth as Mike set the eliminations in gear. One by one the losers headed back to join their comrades a mite bit heavier in the wallet than when they had journeyed to the head table a short time previous.
When it was all over but the shouting, third prize of $500 went to Marvin' Bar, with second prize of $1,000 going to the Elbow Room and the grand prize of $2,000 awarded to Kathy Anderson representing Mr. C'.
The evening's 50/50 drawing yielded $1,400 and went home in the pocket of Joe Haitt.
With the awarding of the top three prizes, so ended the evening's formal program. Guests leisurely departed either to go home or to join their friends elsewhere and once more a successful affair hosted by the Missoula group was put in the memory books.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, Dec., 2006, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.