A scene from a past Christmas in the Sky.
What do you do if you’re a major non-profit that has for years relied on a hugely successful, much anticipated biannual bash crowded with every beautiful person within two hundred miles eager to spend money?
What if you then looked at your bank book and realized that without the gala and the hundreds of thousands of dollars realized from it you would not be able to help as many artists, have as many exhibits, host as many classes, pay as many bills, invite as many artists in residence, hold as many events, or be as effective at your job for the next two years? Well, you might wail a bit, scream, cry, or stomp on a bag of Cheetos. It would be your right- all that work, all that effort and planning; kaput.
The Shreveport Regional Arts Council did none of the above- they simply figured out an elegant and exciting way to pivot. This year, instead of holding a Christmas in the Sky (CIS) extravaganza filled with too many people for our social distancing new normal, they are holding a year-long opportunity for winning called Club 365. For $365, you will be placed into the running for a years’ worth of gifts- from jewelry to art, trips, fabulous meals and parties, cookware, clothing- all the many amazing items that form the backbone of CIS’s amazing night-of-party auction.
But that, as the TV folks say, is not all. Let’s say you win a fabulous peridot and pearl brooch on Day 14. That does not disqualify you from more winnings, in fact, you could win nine more times. You will also be able to purchase extra tickets to put into the pot on nights when there are things you reallyreallyreally want- like use of a new vehicle for a year.
There are so many bonuses in this pivot, they are hard to count. You won’t have to spend a small fortune on a new dress to impress and then not be able to eat all night because you are one butterfly shrimp away from busting loose. You won’t have to stand at an auction table all night guarding a bid only to have to go to the bathroom at the last minute and end up getting trumped.
You WILL get the thrill of watching a number drawn each night for 365 nights that could be yours. You WILL be able to win loads of cool stuff without even trying. And you definitely will be supporting an incredible organization that does incredible work. A win? For gosh sakes, yes.
Tickets for Club 365 will be going on sale at some point in the near future, and you need to buy one when they do. Right now, you can go to their website and sign up to be notified when tickets go on sale. Do this, please.
SRAC is making some very tasty lemonade out of a bushel basket of lemons and after 2020, we could all use 365 days of fun, expectation and excitement.
