Return to Pointer View home page March 4,  2005

Community turns out for 'Viva! Las Vegas' 

Clockwise from top: Viva! Las Vegas participants line up to submit their bids for one of the baskets at the silent auction. The baskets were made by community volunteers. Events such as the silent auction, bingo, blackjack and craps helped raise the $12,500 that the organization plans on donating back to the community. Command Sgt. Maj. Michael and Donna Bergman stop off to exchange money with 'banker' Cindy Scott. West Point garrison commander and "blackjack dealer extraordinaire," Col. Brian Crawford, entertains cadets while he helps to relieve them of some of their play money.

Story and photos by Kathy Eastwood
Staff Writer

The West Point Women’s Club held its annual fund-raiser, “Viva! Las Vegas,” Feb. 25 at the Thayer Hotel and, by all accounts, it was a resounding success.

Blackjack, craps, roulette, bingo (played with play money), silent auctions and Liberace’s Closet were popular attractions, but the main attraction was the appearance of Dolly Parton, a.k.a. Ashleigh Wehmeyer.

“I love Dolly Parton; she is so over-the-top Vegasness and I thought it would be fun to ‘impersonate’ her,” Wehmeyer said.

Another new and popular attraction was the ‘Oasis Spa’ with Sue Werdinsky, a certified massage therapist here, who volunteered her services.

One participant, Ann Kovatch,  is from Cincinnati, Ohio. On a visit to see her new grandson, She said she really enjoyed the event.

“My daughter just had a baby and I came here to help her take care of him as my son-in-law is an instructor here,” Kovatch said. “I decided to take some time to come and play blackjack.”

The annual event raises thousands of dollars with all money going back into the community in the form of scholarships and other grants.

“This was a great year and it seemed there were more people here than in other years,” said WPWC member Gwen Wallace. “We were able to raise $12,500 to give back to the community.”

More than 1,000 hours go into planning the Vegas Night festivities.  Community members volunteer by creating baskets of goodies for the silent auction and donating articles for sale. Volunteers say it’s a lot of work, but everyone enjoys it.

“It’s a real fun way to raise money,” said Elizabeth Crawford, WPWC member and volunteer for Liberace’s Closet. “Everybody really enjoys participating and it’s a great way to help the community.”