The United Way of Leflore County will hold its biggest fundraiser of the year on Thursday with its new All-In Event.
“This new one-day event is a way to get the whole community involved with everything from golf to bingo to a drawdown and auction,” said Jeff Hardin, the event’s chairman. “There truly is something for everyone.”
The daylong All-In Event will be held at Greenwood Country Club.
A golf tournament, featuring 18 teams already registered and filled by local sponsors, will kick off the festivities at 1 pm. Prizes in multiple categories will be awarded, such as longest drive, closest to the pin, hole-in-one, most accurate drive and a putting contest.
While the golf tournament is going on, bingo will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. inside the country club. Those participating can snack on appetizers while playing for prizes.
The silent auction, drawdown, entertainment, food and drinks will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Tickets will be sold at the door for $25 each. The purchase of a ticket includes one free drink and a variety of heavy appetizers. A cash bar will also be available. Ray Mattox will perform on the piano throughout the evening.
The silent auction will feature more than 100 items, including a Savage Super B 17 WSM rifle; a one-night stay at the Residence Inn in downtown Memphis coupled with a $100 gift certificate to Flight Restaurant; a one-week stay in a three-bedroom, two-bath condo in Orange Beach, Alabama, during the week of spring break; and numerous pottery items, paintings, jewelry, gift certificates to local stores and more.
“We have a good variety of silent auction items,” said Courtney Kimmel, the United Way chapter’s executive director. “We have a good mix of things, so there is something for everyone. Men, women, young, old — we’ve got it all.”
After a welcome to the event, the drawdown will begin. The grand-prize winner will receive $5,000, and six to eight additional prizes will also be awarded.
Drawdown tickets are limited and being sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are $100 each and will also admit one person to the evening’s festivities.
“You are really getting a $75 value with the drawdown tickets,” Kimmel said.
Cannon Motors of Mississippi is the title sponsor of the All-In Event. About 20 other sponsors are also contributing, and many local retailers have donated items to the silent auction.
“The United Way is grateful for all of the support from businesses and individuals donating to our silent auction, and we encourage everyone to shop local and support Greenwood,” said Clifton Thach, president of the United Way of Leflore County.
The money raised from the event will be allocated among the 10 Greenwood-area agencies the United Way serves.
“The All-In Event is an opportunity not only for the United Way to raise money but also to expose the community to our primary purpose, which is supporting each of these 10 agencies,” said Kimmel.
The United Way of Leflore County is a fundraising organization for local nonprofits Beacon Harbor, Boy Scouts of America, the Boys & Girls Club in Greenwood, Community Food Pantry, Girl Scouts Heart of the South, Greenwood Interfaith Ministries Community Kitchen, Fuller Center for Housing, Leflore County 4-H Clubs, Leflore County Humane Society and Salvation Army.
“The Board of Directors is focused on making an impact here in Leflore County by helping to fund these agencies that depend greatly on money from the United Way,” Kimmel said. “All of these organizations make an impact here in our community, and we are proud to be able to help provide funds for them.”
David Dallas, executive director of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta, said, “Our Greenwood club has relied on the United Way for more than just for financial support. We are so grateful for the activities they have provided for our club — ice cream socials, supplies drives. They are always finding creative ways to support and promote our club throughout the community.”
Dallas added, “We are so glad our Boys & Girls Club is a selected agency. Leflore County is fortunate to have such a strong, active United Way.”
Christina Meriwether, a Leflore County 4-H and youth Mississippi State University Extension agent, said the Leflore 4-H receives about 85 to 90 percent of its funding from the United Way.
“It is crucial for the Leflore 4-H to receive this funding, because 100 percent goes to youth and volunteer development through hands-on programs,” she said.
Kimmel said she hopes the All-In Event can raise $50,000. She said that if the goal is met and the workplace campaign continues to go as well as it has been this year, the United Way will be able to increase its allocations to its agencies in 2017.
“That’s our ultimate goal,” said Kimmel. “Our purpose is to support all 10 agencies in a united way.”
For more information or to purchase a drawdown ticket, contact the United Way of Leflore County by phone at 453-1910 or by email at uwoflc@yahoo.com.
•Contact Ruthie Robison at 581-7233 or rrobison@gwcommonwealth.com.
