$96,000 raised for children’s programming on Ozarks Public Television. That’s fantastic news!
I was honored to host “Friday Night TV Dinner” again this year at TOUCH Restaurant in Springfield, MO. Now in its 11th year, the event has raised over $1-million for Ozarks Public Television through an evening of dinner, drinks and dancing…not to mention mind-blowing live and silent auctions.
This year, live auction items included:
- Shopping spree at Maxon’s Diamond Merchants
- Lasik eye proceedure from the premiere refractive surgeon in the nation, Dr. Shahar Tauber of Mercy Clinic Eye Specialists
- Once in a lifetime shopping experience from Town & County, with the very first private dinner at Metropolitan Farmer
- Amazing outdoor entertainment package from Southwest Audio Visual, including a Primo grill and custom outdoor cabinetry
- Rarest of the Rare California Wine Cellar Collection
- Wine country getaway to Deloach Winery in Sonoma
- First class party for ten couples at the Titanic Museum Attraction
You want to talk about a group who can spend like they mean it! As in 2011, auctioneer Donnie Stumpff worked his magic and sold two of the Titanic parties for $10,000 each. When it comes to selling high, the man is a stud.
Special thanks to Hannah Wingo of OPT for her beyond-thorough coordination, Brad Feuerbacher of Brown Derby and Andy Kuntz of Andy’s Frozen Custard for the invite, and every returning couple, group, sponsor and bartender…it is truly a fun night I look forward to all year. Let’s sell it out again next year! See you in 2014…
** OPT reaches 50-thousand kids in Southwest Missouri each week with educational programming, through classic shows like Sesame Street, Electric Company and Curious George combined with current favorites like Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train and more. Locally, Ozarks Public Television invests 25% of its annual budget on children’s programming ($500,000) – so events like these are crucial to off-setting that cost.
