Kiwanis Club cashes in with Vegas theme

You’re taking a gamble if you wait much longer to buy tickets for “Valentine’s in Las Vegas Dinner Dance & Casino Party,” presented by the Longboat Key Kiwanis Foundation and the Longboat Key Club.

“We’ve sold about 160 tickets with two weeks to go,” said Kiwanis Club member Bob Gault. “We have (tickets for) about 20 couples left. I anticipate selling out.”

As usual, youths are the real winners in this event because it raises money for local children’s charities and scholarships for students in the Sarasota/Manatee area.

But this year’s event offers participants the chance to win big, as well.

The event will kick off at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 14, with cocktails and games such as blackjack, roulette, three-card poker and craps. Each attendee will receive approximately 15 chips and can purchase more throughout the evening.

A sit-down dinner begins at 7:30 p.m., then the games will crank up once again and continue until 10 p.m. At that time, players will cash in their chips for raffle tickets.

Prizes include a trip to Las Vegas, a Universal Orlando Resort VIP Experience, a weekend golf stay at the Resort at Longboat Key Club, a six-course meal for 10 at the Lazy Lobster and a family photo session with Mary Lou Johnson.

The event will also include an auction for a private trip to New Orleans, courtesy of licensed pilots Woody and Sue Wolverton, and an appearance for a couple in Longboat Key author H. Terrell Griffin’s next novel, along with copies of Griffin’s past books.

The evening will feature dancing and music by the 11-piece 42nd Street Las Vegas Express Band, which Gault calls “Rat Pack kind of fun, upbeat music.”

Valentine’s in Las Vegas Dinner Dance & Casino Party
When: 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14
Where: Longboat Key Club Harbourside Dining Room, 3100 Harbourside Drive
Tickets: $95; contact Jim Larson at 383-1660
Dress: Jackets for men, cocktail attire for women

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected]