United Way of La Porte County honored local veterans with their annual fundraiser gala at the Blue Chip Casino on Friday night. Camouflage colors, USO inspired attire, and military uniforms mixed with elegance, filled the room as over 400 attendees enjoyed food and drinks from local establishments while bidding on over 130 incredible raffle prizes. Throughout the evening, entertainment was abound as 1950’s themed dancers entertained the crowd and a DJ spun music to get the whole crowd moving. The theme of the night, United-Serving Others, was apparent as everyone graciously thanks all the veteran attendees for their service.
Kris Pate, Executive Director at United Way of La Porte County, was anxiously greeting guests as they arrived, excited to see the themed attire they chose for the event. The fall fundraiser is the biggest event of the year for United Way and the dedication of hard work put into organizing the event was apparent.
“We have some really great volunteers that make this all possible,” Pate stated. “With the funds that we raise tonight, we’ll focus on education, financial stability, and health within the local community. Over a third of our population in La Porte County fits into the categories of living in poverty or struggling to make ends meet. There’s such a need for all of our organizations to come together and figure out a better way to help our neighbors. Over ninety percent of the dollars we raise through all outlets are using directly within our community. United Way is the the best vehicle for problem solving and change within our community.”
David Sisk, Director of Engagement at United Way of La Porte County, was a key event organizer and one of the masters of ceremonies throughout the evening. His enthusiasm shined through as he encouraged attendees to drink, dance, bid on auction items, and just have a great time.
“We hope to raise over $80,000 tonight between sponsorship, ticket sales, and silent auction items,” Sisk stated. “One of the reasons we chose the veterans theme this year is because we wanted to salute our veterans. If a veteran needs food, emergency communication while they’re on duty, financial support, or other needs, all of our agencies are here to help them out. We have attendees from Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and surrounding areas from all over the region to support us and this cause here tonight.”
Jack Elia, Assistant General Manager at Blue Chip Casino, was excited that Blue Chip had the opportunity again to work with United Way to host their annual event. It is a tradition for the event to be held at the Blue Chip. As an additional plus, the beautiful atmosphere absolutely contributed to the elegance and charm of the event.
“All of the Boyd Gaming properties have chosen for many years to partner with United Way as their charity of choice,” Elia explained. “With all of our properties combined, our annual campaigns for United Way raise over one million dollars a year. Boyd Gaming is and always has been very dedicated to helping United Way and the community. Our committee also has a good time picking the theme every year for this particular event and we love to see everyone come all dressed up. It’s really a lot of fun and a great partnership.”
Thanks to all the hard work put into organizing the event by United Way, Blue Chip, and all the volunteers involved combined with the generosity of local businesses donating their time and resources, the 2016 United Way of La Porte fall gala was a huge success. Funds raised by such an enormous event will surely be impacting the community for years to come.
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