That ’70s Show
Junior Auxiliary of Saline County hosting benefit with groovy vibe
Grab your favorite sequined dress or leisure suit because the Junior Auxiliary of Saline County plans to take you back to the 1970s — at least for one night.
The organization will host its annual charity benefit Studio 501 from 7-11 p.m. Saturday at the Benton Event Center. Tickets are $50 per person, and all proceeds will go toward JA’s service projects, which focus on children in the county.
“[The benefit] was becoming formal, so we wanted to take it back to more of a fun cocktail kind of attire, so last year, we came up with Havana Nights, which was a Cuban theme,” event chair Hannah Harney said. “People really enjoyed that and showed up in some awesome outfits. We kind of wanted to continue doing that, so we thought about a disco theme and not being too costumey.
“That’s how we landed on Studio 501. The ’70s trend is kind of reviving in fashion, so we figured it would be easy to find something to wear, and it is a great decade for dance music.”
Studio 501 is a nod to Studio 54, the exclusive New York disco club of the ’70s that inspired a movie by the same name. Dress is cocktail attire with a touch of the ’70s.
DJ Hollywood, the evening’s master of ceremonies, will spin disco hits of the time, and Vibrant Occasions will feature a ’70s-inspired menu. An open bar is also included with admission.
Attendees’ tickets include $100 in chips to play nine casino-style games run by Arkansas Casino games. The player with the most chips at the end of the evening will win a prize.
A silent auction will also take place, and items include a Coach backpack, tickets to Silver Dollar City, Southwest Airlines tickets, Arkansas Symphony tickets, a fitness basket and assorted memorabilia. Organizers expect the auction to bolster the benefit’s proceeds.
“This is our top fundraising event,” Harney said. “We make the most money with this event. We do three, but this is our biggest by far. What we earn at this event is what will determine our next year’s budget and what we are able to do next year.
“[The ticket] isn’t a lot and includes a meal and open bar and entertainment, so it’s not a huge sacrifice for someone to attend, but every little bit helps the [Junior Auxiliary]. We have a goal every year, and it is based on that year. We would always like to exceed that goal so we can do even more the next year. There is always something that comes up every year when we discover we have run out of money. There’s always more ways we want to help, and we are limited.”
The Junior Auxiliary also hosts a fundraising golf tournament in the fall and a fish fry in the spring.
The sponsors for Saturday’s event include Hannah H. Creates, American Material Handling, KO Construction Management and Construction Development Team, LLC, Bryant Family Pharmacy, the Arkansas Dance Center, the Lancaster Law Firm, Saline Psychological Services, Thompson Electric, Kinard Dental, American Material Handling and First Electric. Drinks for the event are provided by Glazer Distributors. Harney said more sponsorships are available and range from $600 to $1,000.
JA has several programs that benefit Saline County children. Blessings is a program that sends backpacks full of food home with children in need during breaks in the school year. JA On Call assigns a member to every school in the county, and that member reaches out to a counselor or an administrator at the school to assess its needs. Harney said the school she’s assigned to indicated it could use supplies for the school nurse, so she has gathered bandages and other first-aid essentials. Other schools need personal-hygiene products or shoes or clothing for particular students. JA also does a coat drive every fall and reaches out to the schools to get the number and sizes of coats needed.
“That is a way for us to get out in the community and reach kids individually,” Harney said.
JA also hosts an event called Empower that is geared to girls in sixth through ninth grades. The event includes fun games but also features speakers meant to inspire the young women and help them navigate through what can be a tough time in their lives.
“We talk about hygiene, bullying and online safety,” Harney said. “This is a great opportunity for a group of girls to hear from a group of women. I remember being that age and thinking I was all alone and feeling awkward. It’s nice to be a mentor for young girls that age and for them to see they aren’t alone.”
On Feb. 1, the Junior Auxiliary, along with Benton Parks and Recreation, will host a sports swap shop from 9-11 a.m. at Riverside Park in Benton, where parents can pick up free used sports equipment for the upcoming spring season. Organizers will also accept equipment donations during that time. Each person who donates sports equipment will be entered into a drawing for an Academy Sports gift card.
“We hand out this equipment, and otherwise, some of these kids wouldn’t be able to play because they can’t afford it because sports equipment is expensive, especially for things they are going to outgrow for the next season,” Harney said. “It’s also a good opportunity to speak to parents face to face.”
JA also stages booths at several area events, handing out information to market the organization’s mission. JA also awards annual scholarships to high school seniors.
Harney joined JA when she and her family moved to Saline County from Little Rock four years ago. Harney is a stayat-home mom who is also an artist who paints and draws. She was looking to meet new people and give back to the community when she joined JA three years ago. After two years as an active member, she’s enjoyed the challenge of organizing this event, she said. The planning began last summer.
“I am ready for it to be here,” Harney said. “We have put a lot of work into this, and it is a long time in the making. It is going to be a fun night. It’s always a fun night, no matter what. It’s going to be awesome. We would really like to reach our goal moneywise. It doesn’t happen every year, but it should be great.”
For more information on the event, email jasalineco@gmail.com.