Come and gamble for a good cause on Saturday
Cancer Society of Moffat County hosts Casino Night this Saturday to raise money for cancer patients
Break open your change jar because the Cancer Society of Moffat County is hosting its annual Casino Night on Saturday, July 23.
Casino Night is one of the events the Cancer Society is hosting this weekend where proceeds will go directly to support local people going through cancer. Tickets are $50 each and will be available until 5 p.m. Friday, July 22. Purchase tickets by calling 970-824-4422.
Doors will open at 5 p.m. Saturday at Victory Motors. There will be hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m. and gambling will go from 6:30-10:30 p.m.
Casino games will include poker tables, black jack, craps, roulette, slot machines and a money wheel. The night will also feature a silent auction, a buffet dinner and a cash bar.
Event organizer, Irene Kitzman, said last year’s casino night attracted around 150 people, and Kitzmen anticipates about 200 guests this year.
“We started this because cancer hit our family, with me,” said Kitzman, a cancer survivor herself. “You don’t realize the impact it has on your family until it happens, so my brother-in-law and I decided to do something.”
The Cancer Society of Moffat County has been doing casino night since 2013. Kitzmen said over nine years they have probably raised over $100,000.
This year, the event is being held in memory of Kelly Smith Davis, who was a breast cancer survivor and board member for the Cancer Society for 20 years. Before passing away in February, Davis was heavily involved in helping cancer patients and their families.
One of the beneficiaries of the Cancer Society is Abel Rollins, a 6-year-old with a rare childhood cancer. Rollins will be joining casino night to let people know he’s in remission and that the support from the Cancer Society was extremely beneficial to him and his family.
On Sunday, July 24, the Cancer Society is hosting the Rick Upchurch Drive 4 Life golf tournament. The golf tournament, which Kitzmen said has filled up this year, will be in memory of Jimmy Duran, whose friends and family will attend Sunday in his honor.
“We appreciate Rick and Donna Upchurch. They are the ones who really got us started and they come up every year from Grand Junction to support it,” Kitzmen said.
These events typically bring in between $15,000-$20,000 for the Cancer Society each year. Kitzmen said this year, she is hoping they will raise $30,000.
“We get great community participation with sponsors from all of the businesses and the community and we greatly appreciate all of their help,” Kitzmen said.
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