Willow Chamber Banquet April 10

All are welcome to dust off their cowboy boots and plan to attend a blue jean ball Saturday, April 10.

 

The Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce has chosen the more casual theme for this year’s annual awards banquet, to be held at the Willow Springs High School gymnasium. Tickets are $25 per person for the fundraising event.

 

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 6, catered by Sharry Lovan and Lovan Catering. The menu will include smoked brisket and sliced ham, baked beans, potato salad, salad, rolls, and homemade pies and cakes.

 

The event is one of the chamber’s annual fundraisers, along with the community fall festival traditionally held the first Saturday of October. The chamber also has sponsored a golf tournament and other events to raise funds in order to promote its members and the community. However, with the global pandemic starting in early spring 2020, the organization has been unable to hold most of its regular events and the annual banquet has been delayed from its usual January date.

 

“I’m just glad we’re able to hold an event,” said Kim Fredrick, the chamber’s president for 2021.

The chamber board wanted to provide a fun evening for its members, but will maintain some health precautions. Seating for the event will be limited to 150 to allow for greater distance between tables. The use of face coverings is at the discretion of those attending.

 

Entertainment will include cloggers from On the Floor Dance Studio, along with music and comedy by Dr. Dale Haverstick.

 

Haverstick is a family physician with the Mercy health system in Nixa, formerly practicing in Mountain View and Shannon County. Armed with his acoustic guitar and sense of humor, Haverstick has performed at many other events in the area through the years and organizers say he’s sure to have the audience in stitches.

 

Owned by Erik and Katie Montgomery, On the Floor is located in the newly constructed Bear Crossing development near Willow Springs’ south junction. Under the direction of clogging instructor Lori Leichliter, the studio’s exhibition team will perform a variety of traditional and contemporary routines that organizers say are sure to “wow” banquet attendees. For more information on the studio, including class schedules, visit onthefloorws.com.

 

The chamber welcomes raffle or door prize items. Raffle items so far include a 65-inch Vizio SmartTV donated by Coastal Energy, a Blackstone griddle donated by Shelter Insurance-Terry Newton, a $300 gift certificate for tires at Bear Crossing Truck Wash & Tire Center, and a 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun with 100 shells, clays, and a hand thrower donated by Lakeland Pharmacy.

 

To purchase raffle tickets, donate items, or for information on banquet tickets, call chamber secretary Phoebe Hendricks at (417) 469-5519, or contact any of the following board members: Kim Fredrick with West Plains Bank & Trust, Jennifer Owens with Simmons Bank, Andrea McNew with Shelter Insurance, John Bailey with Bailey Chevrolet-GMC, Kim Rich with Coastal Energy, Alan Stewart with Eleven Point Financial Advisors, and Mickey Perkins with H&R Block.