As has been the case throughout the history of Southwestern Community College’s annual gala, this year’s “Boots, Blue Jeans & Bling” raised more money than the year before.
This year’s event, which was held on Sept. 23 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, raised more than $150,000 to support student scholarships – marking a 20-percent increase over the 2022 gala.
This was the second straight year that the gala sold out – despite being held in a larger space.
“I’m grateful for the work of the Foundation staff and volunteers for making this Gala a great success, surpassing our expectations,” said Dr. Don Tomas, president of SCC. “Our donors’ contributions to student scholarships are the bedrock upon which dreams are built, and our commitment to student success and a brighter future through the transformative power of education is stronger because of our donors’ support.”
More than 600 individuals attended the gala, up from approximately 425 last year.
Two current SCC students and scholarship recipients, Jo Loewi and Jacob Eilers, addressed the crowd and shared how the assistance they received through the SCC Foundation is impacting their educational journeys.
And Elizabeth Cartwright, a recent graduate of SCC’s Nursing program, appeared in a short video to show attendees how their past support made it possible for her to complete her associate degree and secure a job at Haywood Regional Medical Center.
“It’s extremely rewarding to hear directly from students about how scholarships are changing their lives in a positive way,” said Wendy LeMay, gala planning committee co-chair. She maintained the title of ‘co-chair’ as a tribute to her close friend and longtime co-chair Lambert Wilson, who passed away last year.
Also instrumental in the event’s success was Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, which annually hosts and supports the gala.
This year’s event received an additional boost when an anonymous donor offered to match up to $10,000 in extra donations made on the evening of the gala. Guests quickly met and exceeded that goal.
“I’m thankful to everyone who makes this event so successful,” said Brett Woods, Director of the SCC Foundation. “A lot of people work behind the scenes year-round to make this event run so smoothly, and our supporters continue to amaze me with their generosity in support of our students. We are especially grateful to our friends at Harrah’s who have helped us make this a can’t-miss event every year.”
For more information about the SCC Foundation and the ways it supports Southwestern’s students, contact Kathy Posey, Institutional Development Associate, at 828.339.4227 or k_posey@SouthwesternCC.edu.
