In the past years, organizers of the cruise fund-raiser have taken participants to Ireland for St. Paddy’s Day, to New Orleans for Marti Gras, and to the Wild West. Organizers even arranged for time travel to take cruisers back in time to the Roaring 20’s.
Despite all this travel, cruisers never left the confines of the library. These “cruises” take place during the brunch or luncheon that organizers sponsor in the library’s Schechter Auditorium before the actual raffle drawing.
This year, the creative forces behind this event are setting their sights on the South Pacific. On March 3, make sure your port taxes are paid because the annual cruise raffle will pull into the slip for a South Pacific Luau. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. and the drawing will occur just before 6 p.m.
Susan Colomao of Olivia’s will cater the event. The menu will consist of a salad containing strawberries and oranges, Caribbean Jerk Chicken, coconut rice, pineapple casserole, green beans with pine nuts, and South Sea Punch. To add even more flavor, Friends board member Angela Garris and her family will donate a luau pig to be served “pulled” style.
For those unfamiliar with this annual event, for a donation of $100 library supporters receive a ticket that entitles two to attend the luncheon and provides one chance to win the grand prize.
That prize is a choice between a check for $2,500 – or a seven-day Caribbean cruise for two that includes an outside cabin and round-trip airfare from Raleigh-Durham Airport.
The odds of winning are not bad. The Friends only provide 100 tickets, so ticket holders have a 1-in-100 chance of having their names pulled. Gross receipts total $10,000, and the Friends use the net proceeds to help the library provide programs and services to the library community.
Another feature of this year’s version of South Pacific afternoon tea is the musical entertainment. Dr. Dennis Michels and the Carolina Jazz will perform show tunes, many from “South Pacific.” Dr. Michels has bolstered his crew with vocalist Clay Raines and musician Tony Smith. Friends board member Bob Jeffcott and Earl Abernathy are coordinators for the band.
Tickets are available from any Friends board member and at the library’s circulation desk.
I cannot recall if this event marks the ninth or tenth time I have secured a ticket. I keep waiting for my ticket to make me the winner. So far, my luck has been so good that I have never even won a door prize.
Maybe this year will be my year.
Still, I have been able to see my contributions used to expand our flagship library and to provide quality programs over those years across our county.
Tickets are going fast, so be sure to secure yours before the cruise liner leaves the dock on March 3.
Last year, all tickets were gone at least two weeks before the actual event.
I am looking forward to “Some Enchanted Evening.” For one magical moment I want to feel “Younger than Sprintime” again.
So break out your Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts.
The South Pacific is so beautiful this time of year.
Mike Parker is a columnist for The Free Press. You can reach him at mparker16@suddenlink.net or in care of this newspaper.