Over 300 attend Butte event
By Cole Boehler
Butte has always had that swaggering image of a rough-and-tumble, full bore mining town that rocks around the clock, where over 100 saloons operated on four blocks of Main Street, and where the owner of a newly opened establishment unlocked the doors, then tossed the keys down the privy, never intending to close again.
Well, it's more image than reality, these days, but nevertheless the Richest Hill on Earth is still capable of putting on a wang-dang-doodle of a party: St. Paddy's Day, Independence Day, National Folk Festival, An-Ri-Ra Irish festival, Evel Knievel Days and so on.
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Top, Jim and Margie Thompson of Thompson Distributing received a Special Recognition Award from event chairman Bobbi Collins and the BSB Tavern Association. Middle, Dale Markovich of Summit Beverage also received a Special Recognition Award. Bottom, Will Gardner took the top prize of $2,500.
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Oh yeah, and the annual Butte-Silver-Bow Tavern Association fundraiser banquet.
Conducted Oct. 12 (Columbus Day) this year, Silver Bow tavern owners and their supporters packed the room at The Depot up on Utah Street.
Over 150 tickets were sold and there was about twice as many in attendance (ticket gets a couple admission). Also there was new Montana Tavern Association President Bruce Enott from Great Falls, and new MTA Executive Director Bob Anderson out of Helena.
Master of Ceremonies Chris Fisk, a Butte High School instructor, and the effervescent and perennial TA mainstay, Bobbi Collins, who chaired the dinner event, kept things lively and interest high throughout the bash.
There are drawings, drawings, drawings, including drawings for $500, and $1,000 cash, drawings for liquor baskets and, of course, drawings for a chance to take one of eleven seats at the head table where the real serious money was to be won.
There is also a fabulous silent auction with all kinds of cool merchandise. On top of that the B-SB TA holds one of the best live auctions, conducted by auctioneer extraordinaire Brady Cogdill out of Whitehall.
Dinner was served promptly at 7:30 and what a spread it was, catered by the War Bonnet chefs and kitchen. Chicken and salmon and chef-carved baron of beef were the entrees. After plates were cleared and after-dinner cocktails were secured, the main "calcutta" raffle began.
First drawn was Newland & Co. CPAs followed by Magic Diamond Lounge, Zeppies, Precision Pours, War Bonnet, Tillie Dauenhauer (former owner of the Georgetown Lake Lodge), Blue Moon Saloon from little Divide, Butte Celebrations, Park Street Liquors, Dotty's Casino and the Club 13.
Well, the chips fell just fine for Will Gardner, owner of Zeppies, who was the last one out and winner of $2,500, while Park Street Liquors happily settled for the $900 runner-up prize.
As always, the beautiful and beautifully attired Collins kept the train on its tracks and running on time, so she deserved, and received, special thanks, especially considering she and her faithful, hardworking crew had to pull it off without the help of master organizer and promoter, Billy Fisher, who owns The Depot and is president of the B-SB TA.
He happened to have been asked to come to Nashville to collect a prestigious honor bestowed on him by the Country Music Association (CMA) for his continuous work promoting country music, so was regrettably absent.
We later asked Collins where some of the lucre raised this year might be going and she said the TA is working on expanding and better coordinating it's Home Safe program, which provides free rides to patrons who may be approaching .08 BAC.