Wild West Casino Night Fundraiser

Our annual Wild West Casino Night is this Saturday night, Sept 10 at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds. This is our 5^th year hosting this event, which raises funds for local horse rescue charities. 

The Wild West Casino Night started as an idea many years ago when the founders of the Victorian Roses Ladies Riding Society were in another re-enactment group that used to have old-fashioned cotillions as a fundraiser. While this dance was fun, wouldn’t it be a smash to have a room filled with poker tables and salty characters bellied up to the bar? This image materialized sooner than later when a friend’s birthday party brought in a company that provided fun gaming tables. Two plus two was added, the one was carried and the Wild West Casino Night was born.

At the time, the Roses were a newly formed club and only had 8 or 9 members. We were also in the process of figuring out what charity we would like to support. Horse rescue was an easy pick as so many of us felt passionately about our equine partners and some of us had even adopted horses ourselves. 

With so few of us, it was a challenge to do the massive amount of work that this event required. We had to gather donations, secure a venue, apply for permits and additional insurance, hunt for sponsors, hire the table company and the entertainment, advertise the event, and be at every station the night of and a million more things. In the end, we pulled it off and nearly 300 people came to the first Wild West Casino Night. As always, we have our village of support staff, donators and generous sponsors to thank for helping us get er done. We were able to raise nearly $5,000 in one night to give to horse rescue.

Things haven’t changed a whole lot in five years. The time is still from 6 to 10 pm and we are still hosting the event at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds because it is a great mid-location for horse folks from all over the county to converge. Last year we started a grant program in order to help us decide which rescue groups should benefit from the money raised and we donated $6,500 from the event.

So, that’s the history of the event. Now what can you expect this year by coming? Well…you pay just $20 a person to join us. With your ticket, you will be given a Golden Coin. The Golden Coin is taken to the tables and exchanged for $200 in chips. We have nine Blackjack tables, two Craps tables, two Poker tables, a Roulette table and new this year are two old west Faro tables. Companies who help sponsor the event can “claim” a table and advertise on that table however they would like to so you may be playing on Sandy Angione Realtor’s table or San Diego Barns & Buildings’, Hole in the Wall Gang’s or M Power Truck and Diesel’s tables. If you don’t know how to play, that is completely okay because it is just for fun and the dealers aren’t strict like in Vegas. They will help you learn and you will end up having a good time. If you want more chips, you are welcome to buy more Golden Coins for just $10 each.

 

The end of your ticket goes in a door prize drawing jar when you enter the room and the ticket stub that you have has numbers on it that will be your bidding number if you would like to be a part of the silent auction as well as your number for door prize drawings. Silent auction tables will be set up on one side of the room and include some amazing items like Carrie Underwood concert tickets, Tom’s Hay Gift Certificates, handmade items, a 2 night stay at Stagecoach Campground, fun things to do in the county and anything from jewelry to Legos. A list of what is available at the Silent Auction tables will be given to you in your event program.

The other side of the room is devoted to raffle prizes. Some of the great raffle prizes include Luke Bryan concert tickets, restaurant gift cards, 10 bales of hay from Descanso Hay & Feed and many more things. Each item has a jar next to it where your raffle tickets will go for the item you would like to win. How do you get raffle tickets? You win big at the tables! For each $100 turned in, you will get 2 raffle tickets. Want a free raffle ticket? Come dressed in a Wild West costume!

We will also be having a 50/50 raffle. Members will be walking around selling these tickets. One drawing will be made during the night and 50% of the cash pot will go to you and 50% will go to the charities. Tickets are just $1 each or 6 tickets for $5.

If you want to try your hand at corn-hole for something else to do, we will be offering a corn-hole tournament this year. The winner will take home some cash!

Hungry? The Descanso Junction Restaurant will have a food wagon onsite with a BBQ & Baja menu to choose from. And what is a Wild West saloon without the drinks? Budweiser beer and wine donated by Rock Canyon Vineyards and Country Wine & Spirits is available for purchase for just $5 each. OR you can go for the best deal of the night: limited edition engraved, refillable beer and wine glasses that come with 4 drink tickets each. These are just $20 so you are getting a great glass to take home for FREE with this deal. Be sure and check them out.

 

Our DJ Gil will keep the tunes going and make important announcements throughout the night. Also new this year, we will have a live auction. We have some ahhhhmazzzing items this year to live auction! How about a 7-day vacation in a Mexican Villa? Or what about a half-day chartered fishing trip for 6 people? Have an upcoming party? How would you like a backyard BBQ for 50 people catered by Phil’s BBQ? We also have a mystery gift at the live auction. Don’t forget…. The money raised goes to charity!

We are proud to have selected four horse rescue charities to support this year. They are Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue, Horses of Tir Na Nog, ResQue Ranch and Star Bright Ranch. All the rescues will have volunteers at the event that you can talk to and find out more information. 

So you will be coming to the event, right? Bring friends! Dress up like a saloon girl or a gunslinger! Help us spread the word so we can make this year the biggest yet and keep updated by liking the Wild West Casino Night’s Facebook page. Tickets are available online at www.victorianroses.org or at the door. See you on Saturday!

Submitted by Margarita Rose