Crawfish Boil draws larger crowd, more money for Girls Inc. (Updated)

An estimated 300 people gathered on a pleasant Saturday evening (May 11) for a Crawfish Boil fundraiser that generated more than $5,000 for Girls Inc. of Fort Smith.

The event was held at the Fort Smith home of LuAnn and George Moschner, and about 100 more people attended than attended in 2012.

It’s the third year the Moschner’s held the event at their home. Members of the Girls Inc. Board of Directors shared most of the costs of the event, which included a full meal that included potatoes, corn on the cob, turnip greens, desserts, adult beverages, gumbo and, of course, crawfish.

“We sold around 250 tickets, but we’ve already had 275. … And see, we still have more coming in,” Moschner said, pointing to a group walking up his driveway.

The event raised about $3,500 in 2012, and Moschner estimated the tally could reach $5,500 for the Saturday night gathering.

UPDATED INFO: Following is a statement from George Moschner about the event.
There are many things that make Life Worth Living in Fort Smith, Arkansas and one of those is when the community comes together to support an event that benefits one of the many worthwhile organizations such as Girls Inc. whose mission is to “Inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold.”

Luann and I sincerely appreciate everyone that promoted, contributed and helped make the 2013 Girls Inc. Crawfish Boil this past beautiful, Saturday evening a huge success.  Now that this event has concluded, it is important to us to give credit to all of the generous sponsors whose support helped create the amazing financial results we achieved.

Thank you to Burford Distributing, Coca Cola Distributing, Carman Trucking, Dean Sparks with Chick-fil-A, Glidewell Distributing, Imperial Vending, Kevin Dorey and 21 West End, St. Boniface Church, the Kellys and Umarex.

A big thank you goes to my buddies and our wonderful cooks Stan Garner, Kenny Thames, Kevin Treece and Dennis Geren who did a masterful job meticulously preparing 250 lbs. of crawfish, 400 ears of corn, 100 lbs. of potatoes and 15 lbs. of sausage for an awaiting pot of boiling water and Cajun spices. They donated all of their time, equipment and knowledge to the event. Thanks again for cooking all afternoon.

It is difficult to estimate the number in attendance but we expect there was between 250 and 275 people which is probably about a 100 more than last year. The fabulous news is that we will net about $9,000 which comes from tickets sales (ticket prices were slightly higher than last year), and cash and in-kind contributions. Last year we netted approximately $3,500.

Thanks again to everyone who purchased tickets, made cash contributions, donated food and beverages and helped setup and cleanup after the event. This success should be celebrated by everyone connected to this event and hopefully, everyone has the same warm feeling that we do.

RENOVATIONS, CHANGES
During the recent year, the Girls Inc. facility in Fort Smith has received several renovations and upgrades. The organization's gym floor was replaced and a library and media center were remodeled with the help of volunteers and donations.

Amanda Daniels, executive director of Girls Inc. of Fort Smith, said the staff had also taken items, such as old bookshelves and donated paint, to renovate two rooms in the facility and build new furniture. By completing the renovations to the two rooms, it opened up more space for activities with students involved in the organization's after school program.

Girls Inc. works to provide a “safe environment with educational and recreational programs that encourage girls to take risks and master physical, intellectual, and emotional challenges,” notes their website.

On a broader scale, the organization lobbies local, state and national political leaders about girls’ needs.

“The organization educates the media about critical issues facing girls. In addition, the organization teaches girls how to advocate for themselves and their communities using their voices to promote positive change,” notes Girls Inc. literature.