The Roaring Twenties

Junior Auxiliary plans charity ball in Arkadelphia

Jessie Willett, left, and Leah Sexton are co-chairmen of the Junior Auxiliary of Arkadelphia’s planning committee for the JA’s April 11 charity ball, A Night With Gatsby. They are shown here with a variety of items that will be available in a silent auction at the event. Patrons will have a chance to buy raffle tickets for the pictured flat screen TV and Blu-Ray DVD player.
Jessie Willett, left, and Leah Sexton are co-chairmen of the Junior Auxiliary of Arkadelphia’s planning committee for the JA’s April 11 charity ball, A Night With Gatsby. They are shown here with a variety of items that will be available in a silent auction at the event. Patrons will have a chance to buy raffle tickets for the pictured flat screen TV and Blu-Ray DVD player.

The Roaring Twenties will come to life April 11 as the Junior Auxiliary of Arkadelphia presents its 2015 charity ball, A Night With Gatsby.

Patrons will be “dressed to the nines” as they attend an evening of dinner, live music, silent and live auctions, and blackjack. There will be a Roaring Twenties costume contest and a photo booth for making memories of the event, which is held annually to raise money for the many service projects sponsored by the Junior Auxiliary.

The public is invited to the charity ball, which will begin at 7 p.m. at the Arkadelphia Parks and Recreation Center, 2555 Twin Rivers Drive in Arkadelphia.

Tickets are $40 for individuals or $65 for couples. To reserve tickets, call (870) 230-2283 or (870) 820-1386. Tickets are also available from JA members and can be purchased at the door.

Cocktail attire is requested.

A raffle will be held for two items — a Westinghouse Super Slim Edge 32-inch LED HD TV, donated by Mike, Jessica and Cameron Taylor, and a Phillips Blu-Ray DVD player, donated by Aaron’s Furniture. Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20. The winners do not have to be present.

“This is our largest fundraiser of the year,” said Leah Sexton, co-chairwoman of the event with Jessie Willett. “Our goal is to raise $15,000, with all proceeds benefiting the children of Clark County.”

Among the programs sponsored by the local nonprofit organization are Angel Tree, Breakfast With Santa, Camp Kaleidoscope, Backpacks for Kids, scholarships and mentoring.

“Angel Tree is our largest project,” Sexton said. “We serve well over 600 children in the county each year.”

Among the items that will be sold during the live auction are two round-trip airline tickets donated by Southwest Airlines, a family ski trip to Lake Tahoe and a couple’s trip to Las Vegas.

The silent auction will feature gift certificates from local businesses, movie tickets, home-décor items, beauty and health packages, and salon and boutique packages. Also up for bids will be autographed Ken Duke memorabilia, an autographed Arkansas football, Henderson State University items, an Arkadelphia Badgers package, tickets to Arkansas Travelers baseball games, tickets to the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock, a birthday-party package for Altitude Trampoline Park in Little Rock, tickets to the Looney Bin in Little Rock, tickets to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, and tickets to a Dave Matthews Band concert in Mississippi.

Sexton said Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson will donate an appearance “ride-along” in a parade.

Reo Cummings of Arkadelphia will cater the dinner, which will be served buffet-style, featuring grilled chicken, pork loin and shrimp.

Sensory 2, a local band, will provide the music, which will include all rock genres, from the 1960s to present day. Members of the band include Sexton, vocalist; Kevin Pumphrey, lead singer; Jimmy Norman, guitar; Ken Lambert, saxophone and keyboard; and Ashton Kidder, drums.

Robyn Godwin serves as president of the Junior Auxiliary of Arkadelphia, which has about 40 active members.

The Junior Auxiliary has been a presence in the community since the early 1970s. The local organization is part of the southeast region of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries.

Its stated purpose is “To render charitable services, which are beneficial to the general public, with an emphasis on children. JA encourages its members to be active and constructive participants in the communities in which they live and to assume leadership in meeting community needs.”

The organization’s slogan is “Care Today … Character Tomorrow.”

Members of this year’s charity-ball planning committee in Arkadelphia include Jennifer Fayard, Jennifer Pittman, Erica Brown, Tiffany Pace, Jessie Stuckey, Ashlee Dixon, Talisha Phifer, Deborah Sesser, Lacy Wolfe and Nicole McGough.

The Junior Auxiliary of Arkadelphia is a United Way organization.

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