500 attend YCTA gala
By Cole Boehler
Well, the tavern business may be in a down cycle but you'd never know it from the excellent attendance and high spirits exhibited at the Yellowstone County Tavern Association charity banquet at the Holiday Inn on the west end of Billings May 11.
The drive over was very blustery with periodic rain. The wind blows west-to-east about 90 percent of the time along the southern stretch of I-90 ... except when I drive it. Then there is an easterly head wind on the way over ... and a westerly headwind on the way back. Sure raises heck with the mpg.
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| Kathy Dalton and Troy Ask, the last two standing in the Calcutta, decided to pool and split the $1,750 second place and $2,500 first place prizes. So they each pocketed $2,125. |
While folks mutually expressed disgust with the continuing winter-like weather, all acknowledged the need for precipitation, especially in the high country where it may be stored for a few weeks or even months and release gradually to keep our rivers full to the delight of farmers and floaters and fishers, not to mention perhaps keeping a menacing fire season at bay for awhile longer.
We arrived about 20 minutes after the cocktail call at 6 p.m. and things were already in high gear. I had Shawna Haney with me who is now handling the advertising side of the Montana Tavern Times business, so we grabbed a brace of bottled beer and cruised the room making introductions.
The YCTA dinner is a great place to meet folks in the adult beverage, food and fun business. Many industry vendors have their operations located in Billings, Montana's largest metro area. We ran into folks from the liquor companies, beer distributorships, gaming machine manufacturing and route operations, insurance and so on.
Of course several hundred of Yellowstone County's best licensees were also on hand including a bunch of past presidents like Todd Frank, Gordy Kiedrowski, Marlon Engberg and Jim Grubbs. Even Montana Tavern Association Executive Director Bob Anderson with wife Bonnie in tow was there all the way from Helena.
Also on hand was past president and current president John Blair who, with the help of YCTA Executive Secretary Sheila Brown, kept the train on the tracks. Assisting Blair with emcee duties was Gordy Roma, Doug Jensen and Dan Pendergrass.
In fact, Blair was working so hard at the podium and microphone that he worked up a pretty good sweat.
The YCTA booked the big ballroom at the Holiday Inn for the banquet. It must measure about 300 feet by 150 feet and it was packed. It appeared that nearly 250 tickets were sold, and a ticket admits two so, along with comped guests, close to 500 folks were milling about the room, hitting one of the three bars that were running at full steam, sampling the assortment of hors 'd oeuvrs, filing through the buffet lines or circulating though the silent auction merchandise display.
The evening's program listed 65 local non-licensee businesses that bought tickets for the bash, testament to an understanding that the tavern circle is a big one and that we are all in this together.
The silent auction was well stocked with great merchandise that sold for between $10 and $500. There was a lot for women to choose from and men had plenty of choices too including a fine array of slick power tools. This writer purchased a dandy American flag set up with poles and mount and everything for just $20! Memorial Day was just a few weeks out and there were definite plans for that flag.
The sale obviously raised a lot of money for the YCTA's charitable giving, social and public relations programs. Just a few beneficiaries are the Tavern Taxi, Save-A-Life, MSU-B Meth Conference, the Women's Shelter, Multiple Sclerosis Walk and many more.
Then there were the drawings for cash and merchandise, heads-and-tails games and much more as a prelude to the evening's main "calcutta" raffle. Tables were furnished with bottles of good dinner wine from Briggs Distributing and Intermountain Distributing.
The buffet dinner was excellent with chicken, fish and chef-carved roast beef as entrees. Of course there was a full array of fixings including potatoes, salads and garnishes.
We duly wrote down the names of everyone drawn for a place at the head table – those who would participate in a chance to win $150, $1,250, $1,750 or $2,500 in cash. Once these lucky souls were seated, numerous other drawings and games commenced so this writer slipped back over to the silent auction to check out the action and to see how his bids were holding up.
When he returned his attention to the Calcutta drawing, the elimination was beginning ... but the seat occupants had changed! What the ... ? It seems Blair invited those drawn to sell their seats outright and invited those on the floor to buy them and, sure enough, about a half dozen seats changed hands ... at $500 a pop! But the list of participants was now hopelessly scrambled so this report must suffice to merely name the finalists.
Kathy Dalton and Troy Ask, as the last two standing, decided to pool and split the $1,750 second place and $2,500 first place prizes so they each pocketed $2,125! Wow!
It was about then that Tim Carson, on behalf of Grand Vision Gaming, Montana's newest gaming machine manufacturer, paid for an open bar for the house for a half hour. With 500 or so folks in attendance, that was certainly a generous (and expensive?) gesture, and a gracious nod to all the company's good customers.
YCTA President Blair, Secretary Brown and the whole YCTA crew deserve kudos for putting on such a fine, and big, event. But more importantly, kudos for raising the money required to continue the ever more essential mission of good community relations.