Hats Off to MAYC at iHotel on Feb. 22

BY DANI TIETZ
dani@mahometnews.com

It’s time to trade your boots for a hat.

That is if you’ve gone to the Mahomet Area Youth Club’s Boot Scootin’ Auction and plan to go to Hats Off to MAYC. 

For the last four years, MAYC has held its annual fundraiser in June at Schroeders’ farm. But this year, they are changing things up, moving to the iHotel and Conference Center on Feb. 22.

“The change from an early summer to a late winter event has been in the works for a while and for a couple of reasons,” Executive Director Sara Balgoyen said. 

“First, MAYC was holding their two largest fundraisers (the Auction and Half-Marathon) in the summer, which coincidentally is our busiest time of year for programming, making it a challenge for the very small staff to focus on all of the priorities.”

Balgoyen also noted that both fundraisers are run by volunteers and a small staff. Adding days between both events will help with not over-extending the group.

Providing a fundraiser during the winter months will also ensure those community members who want to attend the fundraiser can.

“We were hearing from many attendees that summertime is a time when many people and families are heading out on vacation making them unavailable to attend,” Balgoyen said. “So, we are attempting to address the feedback we’ve gotten.”

A new venue also includes a new theme. Moving away from the barn, the auction committee and MAYC staff thought the meaning behind “Hats Off” could be two-fold.

“First, the event really is about supporting the Club and second, hats can be fun!” Balgoyen said.

While hats are not mandatory, they are encouraged.

MAYC even wants to see the community’s creativity with their hats.

“There will be a ‘Top Hat’ award given to the person with the best hat at the event!” she continued. “We want people to get creative individually, as a couple or even have a theme for their group or table.” 

One thing that won’t change is the silent and live auction of the fundraiser.

Big ticket auction items, which are in high demand, include “condo in a can,” a Nashville getaway. A family fun pack for four to Disney World for seven days will also be available.

A new draw this year will be that everyone who purchases a ticket to Hats Off to MAYC is entered into a drawing for a prize of a seven-night stay anywhere in the world.

In addition, cash prizes for the raffle include: first prize $2,000, second prize $1,000 and third prize $500 gift card to Ace Hardware in Mahomet.

Details for live and silent auction items can be found on MAYC’s website. 

Since 1994, MAYC’s mission has focused on helping Mahomet children with support and encouragement to assist them in developing the skills needed for lifelong success.

With programming that fosters a social and educational environment for children ages six through high school, MAYC provides a place for children to be when school is not in session. 

“Because our program fees are so affordable and are income-based with scholarships available, we are able to support families who are economically disadvantaged, but we are not limited to just this demographic,” Balgoyen said.

“About 50-percent of MAYC families qualify for free or reduced lunch, which is more than the school district is as a whole at 25-percent of families, but it also means that half of our families do not fit into this category.”

MAYC also provides the means for an after-school program at the club that is free and open to any Mahomet-Seymour Junior High student. 

“The students come to the club immediately after school either by walking or on the bus provided by the school district and get the benefits of a safe environment, healthy snack, caring adults, homework help, socialization opportunities and service projects throughout the community.”

Since 2013, MAYC has also provided financial support for students in grades kindergarten through fifth to attend B.L.A.S.T. at Middletown and Lincoln Trail Elementary schools.

“Last but not least, we partner with the High School to support their work-study program, the Bulldog Makers Club and ATLAS,” Balgoyen said.

She added that nearly one-third of the funding for MAYC programming comes from the funds raised at the auction. 

“We hope that auction attendees will learn something about what MAYC does and who we impact leading them to be moved to support the Club financially while also getting some very cool items and experiences at the same time,” Balgoyen said.

Over the last nine months as Executive Director of the program, Balgoyen said that she sees how the efforts of the MAYC staff, volunteers, donors and board are helping to expand what the club offers.

Aside from the largest and busiest summer programs in MAYC history, the club also piloted two out-of-school day programs in October (Columbus day and the Friday of parent-teacher conferences), giving families a choice in child care.

“I think this will become a constant in our programming moving forward,” Balgoyen said.

Along with moving the junior high afterschool program to the club to help with space limitations at the junior high school, 90-percent of attendees are passing their core classes at Mahomet-Seymour Junior High. 

“We have added a community service component to this program that has included to date helping at Mom’s Pantry at the High School and the Salvation Army in Champaign,” Balgoyen said.   

“We’ve also added some fun/educational field trips and activities for early out days that have included a tour of The News-Gazette building, a cultural competency program with a focus on empathy and we’ll be visiting Spurlock Museum next week to learn about Stories from around the World.”

Balgoyen said all of this is made possible by the generous support of the Mahomet-Seymour community.

“I have been humbled by the warm welcome of me and the amazing support that the community has for MAYC,” she said.

Tickets for Hats Off to MAYC can be purchased here.