Junior Auxiliary of Taney County (JATC) held its 20th Annual Trivia Night on September 10 at the Chateau on the Lake.

The Chateau was decorated in shades of silver and blue and was simple but elegant. Josh Grisham from 100.1 KOMC was our emcee and Mike Cathcart was our Music Maestro. Together they set the tone for a fun evening with Josh’s repartee and Mike’s background music.

Doug Baker (a Sustaining member of JATC) and State Farm presented Junior Auxiliary of Taney County with a $2000 donation.

JATC members walked the room selling raffle tickets and their efforts resulted in raising over $8000. Lucky winners of the raffle prizes were Shelley Rader ($500 cash); Becky Koehler (Tanger Outlets Branson $400 Shopping Spree); Bobbi Kneeshaw (Price Chopper Basket + $150 Visa Gift Card); and Colleen Neill (2 Night Stay at Chateau on the Lake + $100 Visa Gift Card). All who purchased raffle tickets were winners for their support of the children of Taney County.

Approximately 130 Silent Auction items were available for bidding. Signature items were: Binswanger’s “Home Sweet Home” Package which included a Binswanger $500 Gift Card toward Shower Glass, $150 Home Depot Gift Card, $100 HomeGoods Gift Card, $100 Visa Gift Card, and 35 1/2” x 47 ½” Framed Mirror (All Gift Cards donated by Binswanger Glass)—Value $1000; Belk Bonanza Package: 5-piece Modern Southern Home Luggage Set, 11-piece Cuisinart Advantage Cookware Set, and Toastmaster Air Fryer—Value $600; Ingrum Law Firm, LLC: Complete Estate Planning for a Couple, Minimum Value of $2500; Pampered Chef Platinum Collection (all items donated by JATC members): Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set, Wood Cutting Board, Scraper Set, Small Square Cool & Serve, Stackable Cooling Rack Set, Stone Bar Pan, Medium Pizza Stone, Kitchen Paring Knife Set, Large Grooved Cutting Board, Salad Chopper, Whisk Set, Quick Stir Pitcher, Ice Cream Scoop, Mini Serving Spatula, Food Chopper, and more—Value $670.

Other valuable items included a six-month Individual Membership to CoxHealth Fitness Center; Track Family Fun Park ride cards; Culver’s; Sunshine Lanes and Jimm’s Steak House in Springfield; dinners at Cantina Laredo and Black Oak Grill; oil change for a year from Warehouse Tire of Hollister;

Other generous donors included Sir Speedy Printing; Ozark Mountain Ear, Nose & Throat; The Farmhouse Restaurant; Edward Jones-Mitch Holmes. For a complete listing of donors please visit out Trivia page on our website www.jatcmo.org.

Many individuals and businesses sponsored tables including Doug Baker State Farm Insurance, Central Bank of Branson, Liberty Utilities, Binswanger Glass, Trimble & Associates, First Community Bank of Branson, Morrissey Law Office, Jessica Martin Law Firm, Outrageous Attire, Table Rock Networking, and Edward Jones-Mac McGregor.

The main event for the evening was a lively trivia contest in which 21 eight-member teams competed to answer eighty questions from categories such as “Isn’t It ‘Marvel’ous”, “Famous Landmarks”, “Legendary Women”, “Name that Movie”, and “20 Questions”.

“Jessica Martin & Law Firm” took the first prize and will have their team’s name engraved on the plaque that honors all the winners through the years. The “Yo Yo’s” took second place, and “Mini-Circuits” came in third. Each of the winning teams took home fun gift prizes related to the theme.

JATC’s 20th Annual Trivia Challenge was Co-Chaired this year by Bobbie Wydeen and Paula Eighmy, and Silent Auction Chair was Paula Gillispie. JA’s major fund-raiser of the year earned approximately $20,000 through table sales, raffle tickets, silent auction, community donations, and sponsorships for JATC projects that enhance the lives of children in Taney County.

For more information about the event and JATC’s projects, please visit the Junior Auxiliary website JATCMO.ORG, their Facebook page (Junior Auxiliary of Taney County) or contact us via email at jatcmo@gmail.com.

The funds raised through this event are 100% reinvested in our community, supporting a variety of projects aimed at addressing the needs of children and families. A few of the projects include Tender Critters; Santa’s Gift House; College Scholarships for seniors at all four Taney County public high schools; Prom Dresses for girls in need; labor support for the Crisis Center of Taney County along with kid care “Empowering the Little Dreamers” once a week so moms can attend counseling; School Supplies “refreshment” in January for elementary schools; Book Swap where children in extended-stay motels are supplied new books to read once a month; ShoeBox Project for Bradleyville and Mark Twain Schools; and Halloween Grape Stomp in Hollister, MO.

JATC also raises money from other events such as Belk’s Charity Days, AmazonSmile, Mr. G’s Annual JATC Days, Harter House Community Cash, grants, and individual donations.

JATC is more than a nonprofit organization, it is a group of women united by a single cause and dedicated to helping the children of Taney County. That’s the magic of JATC. It was chartered by a group of caring, enthusiastic women in 1998 and continues to grow and thrive throughout Taney County. Approximately 50 members annually contribute more than 4,000 volunteer hours as they strive to improve the mental, physical, social and emotional well-being of children in Taney County.

JATC is part of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries (NAJA), a non-profit organization founded in 1941 with headquarters in Greenville, Mississippi. NAJA has more than 15,000 active, associate and life members in nearly 100 chapters located in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Their slogan is “Caring Hearts—Helping Hands—Changing Lives”.

Published in the Branson Tri Lakes News September 28, 2021