A crowd of 160 people attended the 2023 Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation annual spring fundraiser on Tuesday, April 18th. For 2023, the Foundation decided to revamp our annual fundraiser. The evening’s theme was a BBq, a Boardwalk BBq. The event was held at Central Park Pavilion in Chanute and began at 6 pm. Approximately $14,000 was raised during the evening from stretch, silent and live auctions.
Attendees were treated to a delicious BBq meal of pulled pork, pulled chicken, potato salad, baked beans, green beans, and Hawaiian roll furnished by Horizons at Prairie Ridge in Erie, KS. Dessert was delicious cupcakes provided by Jennifer Brown Sanchez. Neosho County Community College students helped serve the meal. Door prizes were courtesy of Tri-Valley’s Fort Scott Greenhouse and Jennifer Dietsch.
As in year’s past, the live auction was the highlight of the evening. For 2023, we had two new items courtesy of Monarch Cement Company; a 7-night stay at Kissimmee, FL and a 3-night stay at a B & B in Arkansas. Monarch was also kind enough to once again donate Wichita Thunder Hockey Tickets and use of Monarch’s 12-person suite at INTRUST Bank Arena. Other items auctioned off include: a Breckenridge CO vacation package courtesy of Home Savings Bank; a Branson MO vacation package courtesy of Community National Bank; a full-size recliner courtesy of Ruddick’s Furniture in Fort Scott; Dinner for 10 courtesy of Brenda Harrison; a Men’s Fur Coat, and a wooden bench.
All money raised from the evening will go towards the Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation projects. Since 2001, the Foundation has built six homes and acquired six additional homes and a duplex. The houses are located in our communities of Chanute, Fort Scott, Humboldt, Iola, Moline, and Neodesha. These houses are home to sixty-four of our neighbors with intellectual and developmental disabilities served by Tri-Valley Developmental Services. The Foundation is excited to announce that they have purchased two new properties in 2023.
“The evening was fantastic”, said Bill Fiscus, CEO. “The food, drawings and conversation were phenomenal. Thank you to everyone who attended. We hope you had an enjoyable evening and look forward to seeing you all in 2024.”
A big thank you goes to the evening’s sponsors. Promenade Level: Steve Faulkner Ford, Monarch Cement Company, and David & Beth Toland
Colonnade Level: Community National Bank, Hofer & Hofer & Associates, Home Savings Bank, IMA, and Pete’s of Erie.
Esplandae Level: Ash Grove, A. Lusker Masonry, LLC, Community National Bank – Eureka, Gates Corporation, Jarred, Gilmore & Phillips, CPA, and Neosho County Community College.
Arcade Level: Hi-Lo Industries; and Cheney Witt Chapel.
Special thanks go to Dave Petersen who served as Emcee; Larry Holman for photography; and John Graham for sound and lighting.