In a change from its annual spring fashion show and luncheon, the Pilot Club of Lenoir City will this year host a reception and silent auction. “Wines and Cheeses and Chocolates, Oh My!” is being held from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 8 at The Venue at Lenoir City. The Venue is the city’s new event center and is located at 7690 Creekwood Park Boulevard.
“The club is very excited about this new format,” said Lee Ledbetter, president. “We are hoping it will attract our loyal fashion show supporters, as well as get more men interested and involved.”
Featured at the event will be a variety of local wines and cheeses, as well as chocolate confections. To highlight local businesses, the club has partnered with Tennessee Valley Winery and Sweetwater Valley Farm for the cornerstone wine and cheese features of the reception.
The eagerly anticipated selection of chocolate delights will be prepared by Sue Beltz, who is known locally for her private catering and baking expertise. Club members refer to Beltz as their “secret weapon” when it comes to attracting guests to their food-related events.
Dozens of items will be available for the taking in the silent auction portion of the event. Donations range from Vera Bradley bags, a Keurig coffee maker, and jewelry, to assorted gift baskets, décor, and gift cards for regional restaurants and attractions. Guests do not have to be present at the auction closing to win.
“It’s important that we have a great crowd for this fundraiser, because the work we do and the projects we support are so important to the community,” said Ledbetter. The club is focused on brain-related injuries and diseases. “We support Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s organizations, Special Olympics, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Project Lifesaver, local special education classrooms, and other causes,” she said.
rtners with the City of Lenoir City for its Festival of Friends, an annual event offering outdoor recreational opportunities to individuals with disabilities and their families. In addition, members visit every kindergarten classroom in the city and county schools annually with its namesake’s BrainMindersTM program, to teach youth how to start protecting their brains at a young age.
Tickets to “Wines and Cheeses and Chocolates, Oh My!” are $30 each, or $50 per couple, and can be purchased at the Lenoir City Municipal Building (530 Hwy. 321), from any Pilot Club member, or online at bit.ly/winecheesechoc. All guests will receive a complimentary keepsake wineglass from The Venue at Lenoir City. Additional sponsors of the event include the City of Lenoir City and Lenoir City Utilities Board.
