BENEFITS WITH FRIENDS

Crowd must think fast for fundraiser

Elena Terrell, left, and Tammy Fowler, both employees with Youth Bridge, look at a room inside the Bell House during a tour of the refurbished home at the Youth Bridge site in Fayetteville. Bell House is part of the Transitional Living Program.
Elena Terrell, left, and Tammy Fowler, both employees with Youth Bridge, look at a room inside the Bell House during a tour of the refurbished home at the Youth Bridge site in Fayetteville. Bell House is part of the Transitional Living Program.

Youth Bridge has added a game show element to its annual It’s a Wonderful Life Roast Toast and Gala fundraiser. ThinkFast tests players’ knowledge of pop culture, history and other topics.

Jeff Schomburger, Dick Trammel, Becky Paneitz, Dick Johnson and Shawn Baldwin, honored at the organization’s past roasts and recipients of their “It’s a Wonderful Life” Community Service Award, will be on hand and represent the top five tables in a lightning round to conclude the game.

The evening will also feature live and silent auctions, wine, bar and mystery gift pull, dinner and will conclude with a balloon pop with prizes for everyone.

Proceeds from the evening will help support the group’s Benton County Emergency Shelter for youth in Centerton and the Transitional Living Program for young adults in Fayetteville. Nancy Hairston, Youth Bridge development director, said those two programs were the nonprofit organization’s hardest hit by the national government shutdown last fall.

The emergency shelter serves youth 18 years old and younger who are homeless, have run away or have been temporarily removed from their homes. They may stay at the shelter for up to six weeks.

The transitional living program helps young adults ages 18 to 25 who are homeless or nearly homeless with little or no support system. Most residents are able to live independently after one totwo years, Hairston said.

The 50-year-old organization serves eight counties in northwestern and north-central Arkansas, helping youth and their families. Areas of focus include abuse, neglect, addiction, behavioral problems and homelessness.

AT A GLANCE

It’s a Wonderful Life Roast, Toast and Gala What: Dinner, silent and live auctions, ThinkFast trivia interactive game When: 6-9 p.m. Feb. 13 Where: John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers Tickets: $95 Attire: Cocktail Information: (479) 575-9471 or youthbridge.com

Style, Pages 23 on 02/06/2014

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