Rednecks have fun raising funds at annual ball

Last Saturday was the 6th Annual Red Neck Ball at the Lakeside Motel and Resort in Trout Creek. Sponsored by the Trout Creek Community Improvement Association (TCCIA), this yearly event is the biggest fundraiser the TCCIA puts on, it is also the sixth year in a row the event was a successful night full of good times. The theme for this year's ball was to help rid people of cabin fever. "There were a little over 120 people, it was a pretty packed room. People were having an absolute blast," said Liz Stender, TCCIA chair.

This year the fundraiser brought in right around $9,000. While this number is lower than previous years, that didn't discourage Stender. "We don't rate the success of an event by the amount of money raised, it's about the community, we go by the event itself," Stender stated. She did note, there were a lot of attendees from out of town this year, who promised they will return.

The talent never seems to disappoint. "Our MC, Don Manning, did a great job. Our talent is always hilarious; when the Tammy WhyNotts hit the stage, people are always laughing," Stender expressed. Dave and Deb Oliver brought their ever-popular, hillbilly porch music to the stage and started out the evening. The new addition to the Misfit Music Trio, Keith Meyer, was definitely the star of the evening. When he started singing his bluegrass tunes, "the crowd really came to life." It was a fast paced, fun filled evening that went to about 10 p.m. that ended with a little bit of dancing once all the chairs were cleared out.

Many people went home with some great prizes. Auction items this year included a front-row seat to the festivities Saturday night with emergency underpants (in case they laughed too hard), a Charbroil barbecue grill complete with a rubber chicken, road kill cookbook, barbecue utensils and rubs, apron and a case of ribeye steaks, a half-day fishing charter on Lake Pend Oreille for Trout with Pend Oreille Charters, as well as a kayak and paddle, fishing poles, and a beautiful handmade wildlife quilt by Laura Rosenwald. Kevin Hill again served as the auctioneer for the event.

The event also included the bucket raffles, where attendees purchased tickets and then put however many tickets they wanted into buckets for specific prizes. The bucket raffle prizes included power tools, a smoker, a cooler, a chainsaw and a Cuisinart air fryer and toaster oven. "Plus, we had tons of great miscellaneous prizes to choose from on the pick of the litter table," Stender said.

She thanked everyone who helped out at the Red Neck Ball, "especially our wonderful volunteers that helped make the event such a huge succes."

A couple of events coming up for the TCCIA include the Trout Creek Park Cleanup on March 28 at 10 a.m. Volunteers can show up with gloves and work clothes.

Last year, according to Stender, around 30 volunteers came to help clean away pine cones and needles and to help tidy up after winter and get the park ready for the Easter Extravaganza. Lunch will be provided for the volunteers. The Easter Extravaganza this year will be on April 11. This is the biggest event of the year for the TCCIA, with more than 300 children attending the event and gathering more than 6,000 eggs filled with prizes.

"This is the 7th year the event will be held in the Trout Creek Park and we have a ton of prizes for outdoor activities," Stender said. Right now, she is looking for volunteers or donations for the Easter Extravaganza. Call Stender at (406) 531-2719 for information.