The annual Fort Scott Presbyterian Village benefit dinner, auction and vacation raffle is May 15.
The fundraiser is for tenants of the assisted living facility who outlive their funds stored for retirement years.
Ginger Nance, executive director of Fort Scott Presbyterian Village answered the following interview questions.
Who will it benefit from this fundraiser?
“We are a Christian mission, not for profit, independent and assisted senior living community. As people age, they usually put back money for ‘old age’ thinking it will surely be enough to meet their needs, knowing they will retire and not be able to continue working at some point.
“Life continues and sometimes seniors are faced with the reality that they never dreamed they’d live as old as they may currently be.”
“For example, we had a tenant once who lived in our assisted living who lived to be 104 years old. She told us, ‘I never dreamed I’d live to be older than 90!’ A decade later, she was still able to enjoy life and do many of the things she enjoyed so much, such as gardening, but she was not physically able to return to the workforce to earn money for that 14 years that she had not planned for. Who could?!
“In our Christian mission, we are dedicated to making sure that our seniors needs are met as long as they can continue to physically live in assisted living at the Presbyterian Village, regardless of whether they can afford their care or not. This is only possible through generous donors who believe in our program and see the wonderful quality of life that their tax-deductible donations can provide. ”
“We accept donations all year-long to support this charitable program, but once a year we hold a live auction and dinner to boost the money raised in order to cover the deficit that some of our seniors have. For this reason, on May 15th, we will hold our annual Good Samaritan Auction and Dinner and hope to bring in more than $30,000 to cover that need.”
“For the event, we are selling tickets for a 3 piece Chicken Mary’s dinner which includes two sides, a homemade desert (made by many wonderful local bakers), and a bottle of water. Ticket prices are $9.00 each in advance, or $12.00 at the door. The dinners will serve from 4:30-6:30pm. We will also have a drive through service available if you are not able to stay for the live auction that will be held, but would like to simply pick up dinner to take home. Be sure to get your tickets early though, we usually sell out by the morning of the event and we don’t want anyone to go without a dinner.”
What will be going on that evening?
“A live auction will be held in the parking garages on the back side of the building, held by Nance Auction Service. Come see all the great items we have to offer! Everything from a Chevy Malibu car, tools, antiques, collectibles, household furniture, outdoor and hobby items, to knic knacs will be offered. There is truly something for everyone! The auctioneers engage the crowd and the fun begins among buyers and spectators. Most everything will be inside the garages so there will be cover in case of rain.”
“A few premier silent auction items will be inside near the cashiers table, as well.”
“Additionally, we will have a ‘Buy It Now’ area set up at one end of the garage for those who would rather purchase and go.
“If you are not able to attend the auction but would like to leave a bid on an item that you are interested in, please contact Ginger Nance in advance to leave a bid. We will also have people at the auction to assist if you are nervous about raising your hand to bid, or would simply prefer to have someone else bid for you.
“Last but not least, we are also selling tickets for one lucky person to win a seven-day trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The winner will stay at the beautiful Las Brisas condo which is appointed with all the luxuries of the Southwest that one could want while on vacation from your busy life. The condo is large enough for a family, yet intimate for a romantic get-away and is located within walking distance of the downtown attractions and dining. Tickets for the opportunity to win are $5.00 each, or 3 tickets for $10.00. The drawing will take place at the end of the auction and the winner does not have to be present to win.”
“All money raised remains local here at the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village to directly impact the lives of seniors with a financial need,” states Nance. “The program is confidential, otherwise we would ask a recipient of the program to give their testimony.”
“However, I have been the Executive Director at the Village for 17 years and I can attest that those who are utilizing the program often don’t even realize they are and their life continues unchanged and they continue to live the way they want to live, without interruption or worry.”
“The program is a dignified, loving gift of kindness from supporters, like you and I, and every dollar makes a direct impact on our senior’s lives,” states Nance.
“Join us for a great evening together! We are located at the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, 2401 S. Horton, Fort Scott, KS 66701.
Tickets are available at the Presbyterian Village, or at the Chamber of Commerce in Fort Scott.
For more information contact Ginger Nance, Executive Director at (620) 223-5550 or email [email protected].
To view a partial listing of the auction items visit www.nanceauctionservice.com or come by to preview early on sale day.
Items are being added daily, so there are sure to be surprises on auction day.”
The location and directions to get there?
“Directions: Take Highway 69 south on the bypass of Fort Scott, KS. Turn west at 23rd street (at McDonald’s intersection light), then turn south on Horton Street. We are located directly across the street from the Fort Scott Public Golf Course.
In case of rain, if it’s too wet to park in the grass, we will have people assisting with parking and a shuttle service will run between the Village and the Fort Scott Community College parking lot from 4:30-7:00 p.m.”