Before the doors opened on May 3rd, over $50,000 in sponsorships, ticket and table sales had been raised, taking this event well “into the black” before it even started.  After the live and silent auction, that amount grew significantly. Over $150,000 was raised, and $65,000 will be added to that amount by the Sterling McCall Museum Foundation.

“Our live and silent auction far surpassed our highly successful ’07 event,” said Gala Chair, Kathy Johnston. “The Live Auction, with the help and support of Auctioneer Lee Fritsch, raised approximately $64,000, up from $33,000 last year. The Silent Auction raised approximately $24,000, up from $13,000 a year ago.  We’re most gratified by the outpouring of support for our little Library that truly accomplishes big things for our community at large,” said Johnston.

The Sterling McCall’s Cadillac Museum near Round Top provided a near-perfect venue for the crowd of almost 500 guests and volunteers who attended. Tables were simply dressed in black satin with centerpieces of hammered pewter filled with manzanita branches from which white orchids dangled. Nearly half of the sold tables were reserved for Sponsors or VIPs on which red roses were added to the décor mix.

Great food was provided. Contributors included Bistro 108, Design II of Brenham, F& H Brisket & Brew of La Grange, The Oaks of Warrenton, Phoenicia of Houston, and The Coffee Connection of Round Top, with Bistro 108 coordinating every offering.
The sell-out crowd enjoyed it all, including entertainment by Art Stokes on a grand piano donated for the evening by Plum Pianos, and vocals by country-western singer, Tracie Lynne of Austin who, with her 5-piece band sang a medley of ballads during dinner, and picked up the pace after the auction for those with their dancing shoes on.

This second Wrangler’s Gala proved to be another boost to the Library’s long-term mission of building its endowment fund and the board’s mission to help the Library become self-sustaining in years to come.