3Cs Hoedown coming up: Fall Fest fundraiser

Hening

Courtesy photo 3Cs Fall Fest chairmembers. Pictured from left (back row): Linda Pedersen, Mary Ann Herston, Sherry Beno, Judy Gardner, Deana Fielder, Marcia Saunders, Linda Juergensen, and Dianne Lipscomb. Front row: Bobbi Freeman, Rhonda Newton and Phillis Mixon.

by Holly Paszczynska Staff Writer
| September 19, 2017 1:00 AM

The ladies of the 3Cs (Cancer and Community Charities) are pulling out all the stops again this year for their annual Fall Fest Hoedown fundraising event. Called “Buckles, Boots and Bling,” the event is one of two major fundraisers for the local nonprofit, which recently presented $113,350 to 28 local charities at its annual Appreciation Luncheon.

The event will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the Best Western Plus Coeur d'Alene Inn. Guests will be treated to a large buffet dinner courtesy of chef Tim Hening, of Tito’s Italian Grill, who has been the food coordinator for the event since its inception.

“We are indebted to Tim for all his work on this over the years,” said Bobbie Freeman, who has taken on the role of reservations chair this year. “There will be brisket, which everyone loves, and barbecued chicken.”

Entertainment will be provided by the Blazen Divas, a local favorite well known for crazy costumes and fancy footwork. Award-winning musician Ashley Dyer will be fiddling up a storm for guests.

Many items have been donated for the event’s live auction and raffles. Ron Nilson of Ground Force will be the auctioneer for the evening. Guests can bid on things like golf packages, a Buck knife, a $1,000 Hagadone Hospitality gift card which can be used at any Hagadone Hospitality restaurant or hotel, a custom-built fire pit, a fishing kayak and kit, and the ever-popular “Booze Buckets.” One of the big-ticket items this year is a week-long getaway for two at Simply Baku Resort in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. A short presentation about the resort will be given.

The 3Cs has been doing this fundraising event for 15 years now, but this year it will hang up its hat on the Hoedown theme, which has been done for the past three years, and will introduce a new theme for next year’s event. Last year the event netted $38,000 in contributions and had 348 guests in attendance.

Rhonda Newman, who is the chairwoman for this year’s event, described her involvement with the group: “I will be in the 3Cs two years this coming January, so I’m kind of a newbie as a lot of these ladies have been in for decades, literally. I didn’t know I would become so active in this group, but once I joined, I couldn’t help but get involved and help raise money. They do such a wonderful thing, giving back to the local community, and they have a lot of fun doing it! You literally have 600-plus instant girlfriends as soon as you join!”

Tickets are $45 and can be purchased by calling Bobbie Freeman at (208) 667-1479.