Twelve years ago, Wade Bartley found a way to put on a fun farm-related event and help some charitable organizations at the same time. He called it simply the “Help a Child Benefit” and it has grown from a small tractor pull, chili cookoff and auction to a much-anticipated Fall event for families across and beyond the county. Last year, a new and different separate event was added to help in the fundraising called “Date Night at The Brewery”. Local singer Lee Beck and Jason Waldon, bandleader of The Alibis, have again helped to organize a night of fun, food and prizes that will also channel funds into this year’s 2019 Help-A-Child Benefit. Wade Bartley dropped in the KSST Good Morning Show to ask listeners to mark the two events…September 19 and October 19.
Date Night at the Brewery will begin at 7pm on Thursday September 19, 2019 for an evening of music by Jason Walden and the Alibi’s, a taco bar catered by Lefty’s Catering and a chance to take home prizes like catering for groups and weekend getaways for two. Seating is limited to 120 persons and advance tickets are being offered at $25 each. To reserve your tickets, call Wade Bartley at 903-348-1878 or Lee Beck at 903-348-5975
The 12th Annual Help a Child Benefit on Saturday October 19 at the Hopkins County Civic Center will have Chili and Brisket Cookoffs outdoors and the Lake Country Antique Tractor Pull and the Garden Tractor Pull inside the arena. There’s also the popular Ira Black FFA Ag Mechanics Project Show and Auction. Cost is $10 for an all-you-can-eat plate, and the tractor events are free to spectators.
Overall, the two local events raise money which will be donated to two non-profit organizations; Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and The Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center. Both these entitles have been recipients of proceeds since the beginning in 2007. Last year, the Help-A-Child benefit was able to donate $73,000 from the proceeds of the two successful Fall events held locally.
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