Hopkinsville, KY – After pausing its annual Gala since the onset of the COVID pandemic, officials with the Hopkinsville Community College Foundation, Inc. are completing preparations for a refreshed fundraiser set at Burdoc Farms in Crofton.
The “Benefit Bash for HCC” is Thursday, August 17th, at 6:00pm in the Tobacco Barn venue at Burdoc Farms. The event will feature a casual and relaxed atmosphere, the region’s original bourbon pull, Kentucky-themed heavy appetizers, Bluegrass music and some unique auction items.
HCC Foundation President Dr. Lana Bastin shared, “We are excited to bring back an event that enables our community to gather in support of Hopkinsville Community College. The HCC Foundation supports not only scholarships but provides funding for Pathfinder Pantry, the on-campus food resource, and the Goode Family Student Emergency Fund.
This fundraiser as well as the Mike Foster Golf Scramble, coming up the end of September help us to provide funding so that students can come to HCC and stay enrolled until they meet their goals,” shared Dr. Lana Bastin, President of the HCC Foundation Inc.
This year’s event is quite different from the more formal galas in years past. According to the directors of the foundation, the group wanted to change the format to encourage participation by a wider variety of individuals across the community.
“A lot has happened since 2019 when we held our last major event, and we wanted to try something new. We are very appreciative of Sara Shepherd, one of our Foundation Directors for offering her family venue, Burdoc Farms to use, as it helps us tremendously in increasing the potential for raising more monies for students,” Bastin concluded.
This year’s event features a live auction hosted by Bolinger Realty and Auction. Items donated for auction include a Trifecta Package for 8 on Millionaire’s Row at Churchill Downs, a sunset cruise of Lake Barkley on a 57-foot yacht for 18-20 guests and includes charcuterie presentations from Hancock’s Neighborhood Market, two tickets to the University of Kentucky Wildcats football game against Missouri with pre-game tailgate as guests of UK President Dr. Eli Capilouto, rare bottles of bourbon, a TPAC evening with tickets to Mrs. Doubtfire with a Jeff Ruby’s gift card and more.
Perhaps the most unique item being auctioned is a rare Darth Vader helmet, signed by the cast of the original movie as well as creator George Lucas and composer John Williams. Signatures of all seven original cast members include actors who are now deceased – Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker; Carrie Fisher, Princess Leia (deceased 2016); Harrison Ford, Han Solo; Dave Prowse, Darth Vader (deceased 2020); Anthony Daniels, C3PO; Kenny Baker, R2D2 (deceased 2016); Peter Mayhew, Chewbacca (deceased 2019); John Williams, composer and George Lucas, creator.
The unique collectible is one of only 50 in the world and is housed in a custom plexiglass museum-quality preservation box that allows admirers an up-close look at a piece of movie history. Additional information on live auction items can be found at the Bolinger Real Estate & Auction website. The event will also include a silent auction. Both auctions will conclude at the end of the evening.
With the cost of classes increasing to $582.00 per class on campus, not including books, and $642.00 per class for online instruction, the HCC Foundation continues to provide important scholarship funding for hundreds of qualified students.
HCC President Dr. Alissa Young stated, “We are grateful to the donors who have established endowments and memorial scholarships that provide a means for students to come to HCC for education and training. I applaud the HCC Foundation for the foresight and ambition to form on-campus food pantries, prior to the pandemic crisis.”
“We were ready to provide extra resources for our students because of the generosity of our donors, and as we have all learned, some people are in desperate need of aid. I am grateful to the Foundation for funding ways to help students remain in classes,” Dr. Young added.
Sponsorship opportunities remain, with tables of eight starting at $750.00. Individual tickets are available for $75.00 each and can be purchased at the HCC Foundation Facebook page through EventBrite or by calling Yvette Eastham, Executive Director of the HCC Foundation at the HCC Advancement Office at 270.707.3733.
About Hopkinsville Community College
For many Pennyrile Kentucky region and Fort Campbell residents, higher education begins at Hopkinsville Community College (HCC).
The college serves thousands of area residents each year as a comprehensive regional learning center providing academic and technical associate degrees; diploma and certificate programs in occupational fields; pre-baccalaureate education; adult, continuing, and developmental education; customized training for business and industry; and distance learning.
As part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, HCC is a critical component to transforming the region’s economy by providing citizens with the education and training needed for high growth, high wage careers.
For more information, visit Hopkinsville.kctcs.edu.
