With only three and a half weeks to prepare our Small Business Social, we are pleased to announce reaching our goal of $2,000 to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Greene County and Relay for Life. Finally confirming our keynote speaker’s available calendar date, Charly Vensel and her team at Event Horizon proceeded in all haste. With concrete confirmation from Congressman Broun’s office, we hit the ground running!

Charly Vensel is a force!  She and her team have done a number of successful fund raisers in the past.  Owing to the respect they have earned from local merchants, even in these hard times, local businesses continue to generously give donations.  With a total of 31 items donated from various small businesses in the area proves we can support our community in worthy causes.  Thank you to them all!

Other businesses donated, refreshments and ample food, while others chose to come and bid on items to support the local economy. A local security firm even donated their time to insure a safe and comfortable event.

Ronnie Mastro contributed his time, tickling his sax with very cool jazz throughout the event and the sound equipment was enviable.

Program:             Pastor Rob Raynor of Lakepoint Church offered a prayer for event and blessing for refreshments.

Congressman Paul Broun spoke on supporting small business.

Dr. Otho Tucker representedGreene County Chamber of Commerce with remarks.

Roddie Anne Blackwell, President of Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce, offered remarks.

Rev. Roi  Johnson offered a prayer and blessing for businesses.

Col. Dale Hollrah was attending and represented the Boys and Girls Club of Greene County.

Cynthia Wallace attended and represented her Putnam Relay for life team.

By the end of Thursday evening we had raised $1,690 from the bid sheets.  Not satisfied with selling our causes short of the goal of $2,000. We reopened the grill, donated by Peoples Bank, on Friday evening and offered burgers and beverages  in exchange for donations. As I delivered items to the successful auction bidders I told of our shortfall. Chip Lyness of the DOCK 103.9 continued pleading and invited people to the cook out. We raised $200 more in two and a half hours. Now we were within $100 or our goal.

Pleas were even posted on Social media pages and through emails. Saturday evening at 5:15 p.m. a generous donor gave the remaining $100.

Game, set and match! We cannot thank the community enough for their support of this event or their support for our local economy which is the backbone of our community.

Visit http://lakeoconeeleah.georgiamls.com to see list of individual businesses and the items they donated!