Party on the Platte raises $95K

Generous donors aid in community center improvements

Hollywood celebrities were lining up at Brush Creek Ranch for actress Allison Williams' wedding Saturday night, but the real players in the Valley were at the Party on the Platte fundraiser.

A packed house filled the Great Room at the Platte Valley Community Center (PVCC). Joe Elder, PVCC executive director, said more than $95,000 was raised Saturday night.

A bid of $2,100 won a catered lunch with Gov. Matt Mead, while an antelope hunt went for $1,500. Auctioneer Jimmy Hinkle quipped that was the first time he had ever seen an antelope hunt go for less that a catered lunch in Wyoming, drawing laughs from the crowd.

Another bidding war was fought over the Border War Basketball Extravaganza. The "extravaganza," which included four tickets to the Wyoming Cowboys versus Colorado State University game on Feb. 20, 2016, went for $2,500. The package included a $250 gift certificate for dinner at Sonny Lubick's Steak House and two rooms for a one night stay in the Fort Collins Hilton.

An impressive $24,200 was raised in bids to make the restrooms in the front of the PVCC gym ADA (American Disabilities Act) compatible.

PVCC Joint Powers Board (JPB) Chairman Joe Glode told the audience to date, $400,000 in improvements have been made to the 60-year-old gym and that it is used nearly 24 hours a day.

The ADA remodeling will cost around $57,000, Glode said.

Bid cards went up as Hinkle asked for $1,000 for the improvements, then $500, $250 and then $100 to rack up the $24,000.

Last year, money was raised to replace the gym floor, which has been named in memory of Kirsten Campbell. Glode said the gym floor will be dedicated twice on Oct. 7. One during the school day for the students to participate in and the other as a Chamber Social in the evening.

Glode said donors were especially generous last year at the Party on the Platte and not only were the PVCC JPB able to replace the gym floor, they replaced the multipurpose room floor as well.

Campbell succumbed to cancer the day after the event. She was the chef at the Hotel Wolf, which her family has owned for more than 34 years.

Glode introduced the newest member of the PVCC JPB, Linda Butler, who is the Saratoga Middle/High School Principal.

One of the goals of the PVCC JPB is education, Glode said. With Butler on the board, he is hoping to finally see the educational goals and cooperation between the PVCC and schools develop.

Two years ago, money was raised to upgrade the hardware in the computer room. An example of the upgrade was on display in the Great Hall Saturday night – a MondoPad, which is a 70-inch touch screen computer.

Butler told the audience she was excited to be on the board and in Saratoga. She looks forward to working on the board and developing an educational relationship between the school and the PVCC.

Since the PVCC was built nine years ago, a fundraiser has been held annually to defray operation and maintenance costs and add improvements to the building.

 

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