Nobody Feels The Blues At Black Tie And Blues Fundraiser

by Trey Wilkinson

The only blues found at Lakeside Lodge Saturday night were in the form of music asapproximately 135 people enjoyed live entertainment, games, food, beverages, good camaraderie and more at the Pinedale Fine Arts Council’s (PFAC) Black Tie and Blues (BT&B) annual fundraiser.

The BT&B event, which began in the late 1980s, was deemed a success by a number of people, including BT&B Committee member and PFAC Secretary Meghan Jacquet and PFAC Executive Director Dana Tully.

“I believe the night went very well as a whole,” Jacquet said. “The turnout is always an unexpected pleasure, and what a nice round-up of people to celebrate the funding of the PFAC.”

While exact numbers weren’t totaled quite yet, Tully thought the event raised an amount comparable to last year, which was about $10,000. The proceeds go to benefit the arts of Sublette County.

“(The money raised at the event) goes to help cover PFAC operating expenses so we can keep the lights on, the doors open and staff employed to run the show,” Tully said.

The fundraiser hosted plenty of entertainment throughout the evening, including auctions, card games, music and more. Jacquet pointed out the local attention the event received. “I was glad to see a variety of local artists in attendance and supporting the PFAC through their work, as well as people from the Sublette communities I recognized from the audiences at the PFAC performances. There was local entertainment, local photography, local helpers and local supporters.”

A handful of raffles and prizes were handed out during the event. Some of the winners included Joan Dean winning the Chicago trip raffle; Daneka Ewert winning the Two Rivers Emporium one-day fly-fishing trip for two; and Amber Stark winning the Great Outdoor Shop’s July-August float trip and a set of nails and European facial from Hair Outfitter and Spa.

A number of people made the successful evening possible. Tully commended the PFAC BT&B Committee co-chaired by Jacquet and Patty Racich as well as the entire PFAC Board.

“The BT&B’s Committee did some initial fundraising to host the event at Lakeside Lodge, which all the local banks graciously donated towards,” Jacquet said. “The PFAC members, PFAC staff and PFAC valued volunteers simultaneously worked hard to encourage the donation process for auction items and raffling prizes, as well as to start advertising this year’s theme “Hats off to the PFAC” for hat decorating donations as additional auction items.”

“The PFAC and its volunteers work hard to bring the arts and art education to our communities in Sublette County,” Jacquet added. “There is a good deal of coordination and planning for the event’s location, catering and set-up, but everything becomes clear and purposeful when the community’s faces start walking through the door to party with and support the PFAC. The event becomes more than just a fundraiser, it transforms into a celebration of the arts, which is the core of the what the PFAC strives to provide, an active learning and active celebration of the arts.”

PFAC Outreach Coordinator Tim Ruland couldn’t have agreed more.

“It was great to see so many faces, young and old, coming together for a common benefit,” Ruland said. “It goes to show just how many members of the community value the arts and PFAC’s efforts to bring the arts to them.”