Luck was with the Tri-County Tavern Association the night of July 11. As the group's annual fund raising dinner was set to commence, ugly black clouds with intermittent crashing lightening bolts built up to the southwest, only to skirt around the party just to the south, leaving the out- door set-up intact and revelers dry.
The Fox Ridge golf course northeast of Helena was the setting and the Red Fox Supper Club was the host.
When this reporter arrived, things were already in full swing with Bonnie Miller and Laura Fix hustling raffle tickets and Dennis White manning the microphone as the evening's emcee. Two bars were set up and functioning on the facility's ample patio where dining tables were also arranged.
A few state politicians were making the rounds including Montana House candidate Bill Thomas who came from Great Falls and Montana Senate candidate Art Wittich who traveled from Bozeman.
Past Montana Tavern Association Presidents on hand were Harry Klock, Tom Heisler, Jim Grubbs, Steve Morris, Ralph Ferraro and Darrell Keck, as was current President Jupe Compton, down from Havre. MTA Government Affairs Counsel Mark Staples was in attendance as well along with Diana Koon, MTA executive director.
White kept up a steady, clever patter, awarding numerous $50 cash prizes for lucky raffle winners, as well as a dandy $500 cash prize, pocketed by Danielle Young of Nickel's Gaming. A slick digital camera/color printer set-up donated by Town Pumps was won by Dave Simac from Chubby's Bar and Grill.
Then White announced he would pay $100 each to the first two ladies who volunteered to go for a float in the golf course pond 100 yards away. Two takers jumped up, grabbed the float tubes and sprinted to the water, to return momentarily to claim their $100 bills.
The buffet was spread, consisting of several varieties of beef and chicken, along with coleslaw, pasta and potato salad, corn on the cob, dinner roll and a strawberry shortcake dessert. Diners moved swiftly through the lines, claimed their places at the table and commenced to eating, enjoying liberal libations as well.
Then White and his Tri-County crew set to the serious business of drawing numbered bingo balls for seats at the head table. Those drawn were to receive a minimum of $200 plus a bottle of spirits served up by Young's Market, Montana's largest liquor firm. The last three to be eliminated would receive $400, $800 or $2,000.
The Park County Tavern Association claimed the first seat, followed by the Ravalli County Tavern Association, Young's Market, Jackson Creek Saloon, Club 90, Nickel's Gaming, Silver Star Steakhouse, Mountain West Bank, M-T Glass and the Commercial Bar. The final 11th seat was drawn from a special raffle and was awarded to the Dixie Inn.
Then the elimination began, with the suspense steadily building. Finally, Jeannie Keck of the Dixie Inn, Bob Gilbert of Nickel's Gaming and Barb Grubbs of the Club 90 were all who remained.
Ultimately, the Dixie Inn took home the $400 prize, while Nickels Gaming and Club 90 vied for the top two places. Nickels' Gilbert snagged the $2,000 while the Club 90's Grubbs wasn't complaining about her $800.
According to White, attendance was considered excellent and guests were free with their money, spending liberally on chances to win one of the numerous prizes, replenishing the coffers of the Tri-County group, with members in Lewis and Clark, Jefferson and Broadwater counties.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, August, 2006, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.