Hot Country trio helps charity eclipse last year’s totals at General Mills-sponsored event

The Band Perry
(Reid, Kimberly & Neil Perry)

The Band Perry proved to be the white-hot stars Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter and Presenting Sponsor General Mills needed to make the 2013 Starlight Gala shine more brightly than ever.

The hot Country trio’s star power helped the 11th Starlight Gala (the charity’s main fund-raiser) at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center in Rogers to radiate even more brilliantly than last year’s record-eclipsing event, which starred Rascal Flatts. Based on known and projected revenues and expenses as of today, the Children’s Shelter netted more than $520,000 this year, compared with $435,000 last year. This year’s net proceeds represent about 15 percent of the Children’s Shelter’s operating budget of $3.3 million.

Proceeds benefit the private, non-profit organization’s efforts to provide care, healing and hope for a better future to abused and neglected kids.

“The Starlight Gala has been one of the highest-profile and
most successful charity events in Northwest Arkansas for the past few years,” said Steve Schotta, Executive Director of the Children’s Shelter. “Having The Band Perry as our headliner maintains the Starlight Gala’s status as Northwest Arkansas’ premier fund-raising event, as evidenced by our record-breaking results. The Band Perry’s performance will enable us to help even more kids in crisis, providing them a place where the hurts they have experienced can begin to heal.”

Siblings Kimberly, Reid and Neil Perry put on a rocking and rollicking, high-energy performance of their progressive Country hits and put their unique flavor on some familiar cover tunes, including Queen’s “Fat Bottom Girls” and Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”

About the Starlight Gala

For the second consecutive year, the Starlight Gala has been named among the top three “Favorite Charity Galas” in Ce!ebrate Arkansas magazine’s Very Best Awards. As the Children’s Shelter’s largest fund-raiser, the Starlight Gala brings in three times more money than any other event and is crucial to the organization’s operations, as state reimbursement covers only 25 percent of the Children’s Shelter’s overall costs. This year’s Gala had total of 63 sponsors. Last year’s had 45. This year’s attendance of more than 1,300 also topped last year’s mark of 1,170.

Highlights of the Starlight Gala’s evening of “Country-chic” elegance, entertainment, enterprise and empathy included:

  • A VIP reception for sponsors, including a “meet-and-greet” with The Band Perry.
  • An intimate concert with The Band Perry.
  • Delicious food & beverages.
  • A silent auction, with opportunities to bid on hundreds of fantastic donated items.
  • An exciting live auction, in which attendees engaged in public bidding wars to win one- of-a-kind items and experiences. This year’s live auction included extraordinary items ranging from a vacation stay in a historic and elegant French chateau … to NFL football adventures … to an all-inclusive getaway to a Mexican Villa … to an all-expenses-paid theme park extravaganza … to a VIP concert package with The Band Perry … to a Pro Bull Riding Championship trip to Las Vegas … to a 2013 U.S. Open golf junket … and more!
  • A special appeal by Dick Trammel to help fund the Sophia Scott Expanding Horizons Program, which features enrichment activities that build self-esteem and make life a little more fun for the Children’s Shelter’s residents. The appeal included a video about and in-person appearance by the program’s young patron and namesake, 10-year-old Sophia Scott of Rogers, who (at age 8) decided to give cash gifts sent by family and friends in honor of her first holy communion to help the kids at the Children’s Shelter. Trammel asked the crowd to provide $50,000 in funding for the program. The Scott family, in honor of Sophia, issued a matching challenge for the first $10,000 donated. The appeal yielded a whopping total of $101,000 (more than double the goal) for costs associated with outings ranging from McDonald’s and Chuck E. Cheese … to bowling and skating … to Crystal Bridges and the Walton Arts Center.