JACKSONVILLE — For the fourth year, the Jacksonville Senior Wellness and Activity Center’s big fundraiser will have a Mardi Gras flair to it.
A Taste of New Orleans will take place Feb. 28 at the Jacksonville Community Center Banquet Hall.
“We decided to do a Mardi Gras-themed party for our fundraiser a few years back,” director Christy McMillion said. “It’s a fundraiser for our Meals on Wheels program, and we provide transportation for seniors and exercise classes and things like that.
“This is one of our major fundraisers each year.”
The meal consists of jambalaya, chicken and sausage gumbo (with our without shrimp); red beans and race with smoked sausage; and king cakes. Also, nonalcoholic hurricanes will be served.
Tickets are $20 for ages 12 and older and $5 for children younger than 12.
“We have beads and balloons and jazz music lined up,” McMillion said. “It’s a fun time to come out and celebrate Mardi Gras.”
The event will be from 6-8 p.m., but food will be served beginning at 5:45 p.m.
“That way, everybody has a chance to come in and get their food on the way in and keep the line down,” McMillion said. “They can come back for seconds once everyone has been served. It’s just a good time. Everybody comes out and visits. We have a few raffles. We’ll have a couple of things in a silent action, maybe four to five things that have to do with hunting equipment.”
In addition, door prizes will be given away.
A year ago, McMillion said, the Taste of New Orleans raised $5,760.
“All the food is donated,” she said. “We try to get all the decorations donated to keep the costs of the fundraiser to a minimum. Two percent of the proceeds are actually involved in the event expenses, and 98 percent goes into our services here.”
Tickets may be purchased at the center, 100 Victory Circle, or at the door the night of the event.
“We recommend buying the tickets ahead of time to make sure there is enough food,” said Alison Huskey, activities director.
In addition to the Taste of New Orleans, the center has various fundraisers throughout the year.
On the first and third Mondays of the month, the center hosts bingo.
“We raise money with it, and it’s open to the public,” McMillion said. “It starts at 6:30 pm. and is usually finished between 8:30 and 8:45. Our main packs start at $12.
“We usually raise between $6,000 and $7,000 a year.”
The center normally has guest number callers.
“We’ve had Bob Johnson call out numbers,” Alison Huskey said. “We’ve also had Ron McDaniel, who is on the Jacksonville North Pulaski School Board. He does it a lot for us.”
Each September, the center has a bunko and silent-auction night, and a beans-and-cornbread luncheon in October.
“That beans and cornbread will get us between $1,600 and $2,000, and we sell tickets for $7, and people come out during their lunch break,” McMillion said. “That is just a luncheon, and people look forward to it every year.”
McMillion said the bunko event usually has about 60 to 75 people playing.
“We have a silent auction, and that has raised between $5,000 and $6,000,” she said. “All of that is donated, and there is hardly any expense with that.”
Something new that the Jacksonville Senior Center is doing is Catfish Friday on the last Friday of each month.
“We did it last month for the first time, and we raised about $300,” McMillion said. “It’s open to the public from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $9 if you call ahead or $10 at the door.”
The next Catfish Friday will be this week.
“We’re hoping that is something that will continue to grow,” Huskey said.
McMillion said the Catfish Friday is one event that does cost the center.
“We cook it here,” she said. “That is one thing where we have to buy the food to cook. We try to encourage people to get it to go.”
For more information about any of these programs, call the center at (501) 982-7531.
Staff writer Mark Buffalo can be reached at (501) 399-3676 or mbuffalo@arkansasonline.com.