Rex holds third annual fundraiser

There was boot scooting and toe tapping to music by the Western Sky Band at the third annual Rex Theater Spaghetti Western dinner and fundraiser last Saturday. Over 100 people bought tickets to eat spaghetti and meatballs, sign up for silent auction items, door prize and 50/50 raffles, along with a tattoo raffle, and live auction, for the theater's benefit.

This year's fundraiser at the Elks Lodge netted between $13,000 and $14,000, Debbie Wilson with the Rex said. They are still waiting for silent auction items to be picked up and paid for.

Rob Viens, a Rex Theater board member, took and sold tickets at the door. He sold tickets for a chance to win a gift basket donated by the First Security Bank. The basket held hot drink mixes and other warming goodies. Viens said he donated voice lessons for the silent auction.

Many items filled the tables for the guests to bid on in the silent auction. Sunflower Gallery had a basket of artwork, and Montana Wild Roots had seeds and sprouts for planting. There were several other handmade items and a basket of vintage dishware with drinking glasses.

The live auction had seven items donated to bid on. The Master Mechanic table saw from True Value Hardware sold for $160. The Brazilian Blue Agate art made by Serenely Yours Decor sold for $200. The 55' Vizio television with a firestick and two blankets, donated by Leufkens Construction, brought in $450 to the Rex Theater.

The evening's big ticket items included a Yeti cooler donated by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and included drinks to fill the 110 capacity. The cooler sold for $600. Quinn's Hot Springs offered a one night's lodging for two with dinner and a $200 gift certificate valued at $600. It was bidded up to $625. The big money maker for the evening was the logging truck load of firewood donated by TRL that held approximately ten cords of chopped firewood. That item sold for $950.

Dinner was served by the students from Explorations in Trout Creek. "I want to give a big shout out to them for their hard work," Debbie Wilson said. "And a thank you to Michelle Blackstone for bartending and Rocky Mountain Accounting for cooking the dinner."

She has a list of people to thank for their donations. "Some upgrades have been made to the theater. It now has a new roof, and windows that were replaced in 2022. New digital equipment in 2023. There are new front windows. The marque is relit, thanks to Charlie Munday. Premier Doors and Trim is installing four new interior doors with trim, and we had Marty Stuart!" Wilson was excited to announce. Country singer Marty Stuart did a fundraiser concert this summer at the Rex Theater. The concert netted the theater $12,000.

Wilson also said that they are working on the air conditioning unit for next summer. And True Value Hardware awarded the theater a grant to paint the front of the building. Local resin artist Serena Pearson and the Thompson Falls High School shop class built the new concession stand.

Charlie Munday, also a board member, said the students were given a $200 gratuity last year. They donated it back to the theater and asked to watch the Grinch movie in return. Eric Wilson said the Western Sky Band has played music for the fundraiser for the past three years.