By Cole Boehler
It was just an hour after our news deadline last month when I drove across town to the Copper King Hotel and Convention Center, site of the 2008 Silver Bow Tavern Association Charity Dinner.
The venue was beautifully decorated and helium balloons festooned the hall and tables, which featured bottles of red and white wine and minis of various fine spirits.
Several hundred folks were milling about, visiting with friends while sipping beer, wine or a cocktail, some bedecked in their formal finery, others in blue jeans, sport coats and Stetsons.
Bill Brown, the evening's emcee, was sporting an uncharacteristic white Stetson in favor of his usual black hat. His sidekick for the evening, effervescent Silver Bow Tavern Association spark plug and all-around "get 'er done" gal, Bobbi Collins, was at his side and seemingly everywhere else at all times in her exquisite light blue satin evening gown.
Other members of the local chapter worked the crowd selling tickets for chances on cash and other prizes and for participation in the evening's main "calcutta" raffle.
When the crowd was seated, Brown began calling off table numbers to facilitate an orderly progression through the sumptuous buffet that featured chef-carved prime rib and breast of chicken entrees with the usual splendid selection of side dishes and salads, not to mention a spread of calorific desserts.
With appetite's sated, the action began.
There was a stunning array of donated merchandise and art items that were displayed along one wall and in front of the head table that were to be purchase by guests either through a silent auction format or a live auction conducted by Darryl Cogdill and his son Brady. The senior Cogdill is likely the oldest working auctioneer in the state, having graduated auction school in 1957.
Many beautifully framed fine art prints brought hundreds of dollars with one going for $700; a fancy flatscreen TV fetched $1,050; a "Fat Tire" bicycle netted $350; fantastic "booze baskets" brought in from $150 to $400.
This writer wound up with a silent auction item that is quite specific to Butte: a package of goodies pertaining to the Pipes and Drums of the Edmonton Police Service, a highly popular annual feature of Butte's notorious St. Paddy's Day, including T-shirts and other memoribilia, but most valuable, tickets to a private reception to be conducted in the corps' honor this March. The item was purchased for the author's wife who is a self-professed "groupie" of the fun-loving kilted band.
Other raffled prizes included $500 in cash which was won by Bill Cramer, and a $1,000 shopping spree that went to Burt Foley. Bill Anderson of Park St. Liquors pocketed $145 on a $290 game of 50/50.
A game of heads-and-tails was played to keep the momentum up. This reporter wrote in the January edition that he had participated in two such games at the Cascade County dinner, and went out both times in the very first round. This time, however, as the participants were eliminated over six or seven rounds, the reporter found himself among the last two standing. Alas, he was not to be the last one, but enjoyed the near miss.
Then the countdown to the evening's main event began, with Brown calling out the numbers.
First seated was the Double Eagle Casino, followed by the Cascade Tavern Association, Unique Lighting, Wise River Club, Dixie Inn of Shelby, Southern Wine and Spirits, Spielo Gaming, Touch Entertain-ment, Mine Shaft Lounge, Hi-Line Tavern Association and, the winner of the raffle for the 11th seat, Chris Zanni.
And down they went, one-by-one but with an extra $200 in their pockets, until only four remained: the Mine Shaft Lounge took fourth and $300, Touch Entertainment took third with $500 and...(drum roll) Spielo Gaming wound up with the $900 runner-up prize while the Wise River Club walked away with the $2,000 grand prize.
With the proceedings concluded, many adjourned to the hotel lounge where karaoke was being conducted. Unfortunately the amplification was too much for this old-timer who prefers good conversation in a bar to bad singing. So it was called a night early and I headed for my home and bed.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, March, 2008, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.