By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



A local civic group is once again offering a chance to win $20,000 while raising money for a variety of causes.

Tickets are on sale to the Gardendale Rotary Club’s third-annual gala at The Club in Birmingham. The event, which is the club’s biggest fundraiser, will be held Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m.

A $250 ticket admits two people to the formal dinner event and represents one chance to win a $20,000 grand prize to be given away at the end of the event.

Fox 6 sports personality Sheldon Haygood will once again serve as the master of ceremonies at the event. Otherwise, Rotary Club President Mike Jeffcoat said this year’s event will be a little different than the previous events.

The gala will feature live entertainment from a capella group Back in Time and there will also be paper bingo games throughout the evening that allow those attending to win cash prizes.

However, he said the focus of the gala remains the same — to raise money and awareness for the group’s multiple international and community projects. Some of those projects include providing water filtration systems to impoverished villages in Central America and providing $50,000 in funding for the Gardendale Miracle League. The group has also been involved with the Children’s Hospital emergency transport vehicle fund.

Some future projects considered by the club may include helping area senior citizens in need of home repairs.

“The gala provides a great source of funding for the things we’re involved in,” Jeffcoat said. “We netted about $20,000 last year and we hope to improve on that this year.”

The club missed its goal of selling all available tickets last year, which Jeffcoat blamed on the beginning of the recession. Despite the current economic climate, he’s optimistic that the group can sell all tickets this year.

Tickets can be purchased from Rotarian Juanita Mordecai at Mordecai Sporting Goods at 809 Main Street or any other Rotarian.

For more information, contact Mordecai at 631-4172.