Butte-Silver Bow dinner puts on the ritz
The organizers of the recent Butte-Silver Bow Tavern Association dinner had some big shoes, or high heels, to fill this year. And did they ever succeed.
Over 275 enthusiastic party-goers participated in the annual fundraiser Oct. 11, titled appropriately “Putting on the Ritz,” at the Star Lanes event center.
The event was organized and run for the first time in 13 years without the oversight of Bobbi Collins, long-time BSB Tavern Association member who earlier this year moved to Missoula to run a Magic Diamond casino. Though Collins has moved, she has not been forgotten. She received the Butte-Silver Bow Tavern Association's Volunteer of the Year award and a standing ovation at the announcement midway through the proceedings.
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The BSB Tavern Association honored Bobbi Collins.
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Collins told the large crowd upon receiving the award that although she is no longer in Butte, she considers everyone in the room “my people.”
She also encouraged those in attendance to participate in the local and state tavern associations to improve the business climate for everyone.
This year's event ran as smoothly as ever, thanks to the hard work of Michele Thiessen, Dani Rollison, Nichole White and the entire local association.
Catered by the War Bonnet, an absolutely delicious buffet featuring prime rib was served up in an incredibly quick fashion. Two bars at each end of the event center were busy all night (with hosted cocktails for an hour or two) to help folks wash down the vittles.
And the large Star Lanes event center received kudos as the first-ever location for the dinner.
“I'm totally impressed with the venue,” Michele Thiessen, vice president of the local association, would say later. “There was so much room for everybody and all our auction items.”
The event featured live and silent auctions, drawings and raffles. Though the amount raised was still being determined at press time, Thiessen said she was confident that the totals will be solid.
“I think it was one of the best dinners we've had,” Thiessen said.
Proceeds will allow the local tavern association to donate to several worthy causes, including a new program that provides a free ride home from any Butte tavern for anyone who has had too much to drink to drive.
Emcee Chris Fisk was his usual entertaining self, and kept the proceedings moving along at an entertaining pace.
Of course, lots of prizes were given away, including the top drawing for a $1,000 shopping spree (or trip to Las Vegas) that was won by Terri Jaap of the Happy Endings Casino.
Several tables full of silent auction items drew constant attention throughout the early evening, and auctioneer Brady Cogdill from Whitehall returned to provide expertise to the live auction.
The always popular Calcutta capped off the evening with Thompson’s Corner winning the whole shebang, worth $2,500. Second place and $900 went to First Citizen’s Bank, third place earned H Bar J Saloon $500, and fourth place and $300 went to Kelly’s Body Shop. The rest of the Calcutta finalists won $200. They werre Collins Gaming, Jack Hanley, Bobbi Collins, Harrington Bottling, Star Lanes, Blue Moon Saloon and M&L Supply.