he Mahomet Area Youth Club (MAYC) is putting the fun back in fundraising.
This year’s MAYCelebration will be a “Boot Scootin’ Barn Dance” and barbeque with a live and silent auction on June 14 at the Shroeder farm located at 1097 N. 4000 E., Bellflower.
“In the past the focus has been on the fundraiser and dinner,” said MAYC board president Margaret White. “This year we decided to have a theme, music and dancing. It’s a date night to go dancing and raise money for the youth club.”
Seven Mahomet folk musicians with the Middletown String Band will kick off the night at 5:30 p.m.. The live auction will start at 7:15 p.m. followed country music and dancing led by DJ Steve Staeger.
Each year MAYC supporters Gary and Trudy Matthews take an auction winner on a guided tour through Spain. A Bed and Breakfast stay at Martha’s Vineyard and a trip to Sanibel Island are also up for auction.
Smaller auction items such as a hot air balloon ride, Chicago Bears tickets, a day on the Litchfield farm, paintings and pottery by local artists, Illini football and basketball ticket, and a “Mahomet basket” full of gift certificates to restaurants or establishments are also up for bid.
Some auction items can be viewed or bid on online at mahometyouth.org/auction.
“When you look at our sponsors, everything has a connection to Mahomet,” said event organizer Lori Larson.
The buffet style barbeque dinner will be provided by Big Poppas Barbeque and wine will be available from Alto Vineyards.
MAYCelebration usually raises around $60,000 for MAYC programming. Organizers hope that this year’s fundraiser will not only bring in enough money to fund their commitment to the Mahomet-Seymour school district, but draw the attention of new MAYC supporters.
MAYC has entered into a three-year agreement with the Mahomet-Seymour School District, which seeks to benefit all students through afterschool programming at the Mahomet-Seymour schools.
“There are a group of supporters that have always supported MAYC, and there are a lot of newcomers to Mahomet that don’t know about MAYC programming,” White said. “We want to highlight how our funding and cooperative agreement with the school will add enrichment programs to the schools.”
MAYC also raises funds through the MAYC 5K and half-marathon in August.
Tickets for the MAYCelebration can be purchased online at mahometyouth.org/auction or by calling MAYC at (217) 590-2860.
