By: Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer for Hire
The second annual Mardi Gras Bash Fundraiser to benefit the Granville County Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina (BGCNCNC) will be held Saturday, February 10 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Vino Oasi, an event center located in Stem, NC.
According to Jackie Sergent, mayor of the City of Oxford and an advisory council member of the Granville Boys & Girls Club, the fundraiser will be a celebratory event for all full of “lots of beads, lots of masks, and lots of color.” Participants are encouraged to dress in their finest Mardi Gras attire.
The fundraiser will include a dinner of a signature drink, appetizers, soup, salad, bourbon chicken, shredded beef and onions, vegetables and four-cheese macaroni followed by a traditional Mardi Gras dessert of king cake. In addition to great food, guests will enjoy the look, feel and sounds of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street with jazz music, festive décor and a photo booth.
A 50/50 raffle will be held as well as a wine pull. For $20, participants will be able to pull a wine with a value up to $70. Also for $20, a purchaser can select a person of their choice to sing karaoke. The selected person then must sing a song or will have the opportunity to pay $25 to decline the offer.
Tickets are on sale now for $50 a person and may be purchased at The Hub on Main or Uptown 101 in downtown Oxford, online by visiting the BGCNCNC Facebook page or by calling the Granville Boys & Girls Club office at (919) 690-0036.
A van will depart from The Hub on Main every 15 minutes beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 10 and will shuttle Mardi Gras Bash participants to the Vino Oasi location at 3220 Bliss Trail in Stem, NC free of charge. Parking is available behind The Hub.
All proceeds go to support the Granville County Unit of BGCNCNC. Money raised supports the mission of the club and allows for expansion opportunities and a potential cost savings to participants.
“The Boys & Girls Club is the single most nimble way to make an impact on child performance and support the local school system,” said Sergent. According to Sergent, 100% of recent Boys & Girls Club participants in the local five-county area graduated from high school, with 95% advancing to places of higher education or serving in the military.
The club offers after-school and summer break care to area youth up to five days a week until 6:30 pm. For $10 a week, children are provided snacks, homework assistance, fun activities, social interaction, dinner and a safe place to stay.
DeLauren White, unit director for the Granville Boys & Girls Club, explains that the club focuses on three main components with youth-academic success, good character and leadership and healthy habits. “There seems to be a misconception that the Boys & Girls Club is like a daycare. We are much more active and much more hands-on. We are really trying to change the lives of young people and I truly believe we are doing that,” White said.
With the majority of the youth being children between the ages of 5-12, the club aims to increase the number of teenagers they serve. Teen nights are now available on Friday nights from 6:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. and on Saturday nights from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m.
Fundraising events such as the Mardi Gras Bash help make expansion projects such as teen nights possible and ensure continued coverage of current program offerings. The public is invited to attend Saturday night’s bash to celebrate Mardi Gras and support the Granville County Boys & Girls Club. Those that cannot attend the event are also welcomed to make a donation.
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