Benefit gives a charitable start to the new year

Though there will be several ways to ring in the new year, one party has a nobler purpose.

The Bavarian Halle in Fruitland will play host to the St. Jude New Year's Eve Fundraiser.

The glitzy holiday will get real-world treatment with the event -- a casual dinner and dance party. A catered dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by a raffle at 7:30 and music by The Big Ticket at 8.

The band plays mostly rock with a feel for the late grunge years of the 1990s and early alternative rock of the new millennium. Tickets for the event are on sale now.

The event has received a lot of sponsorship, which means a lot to Tyson Moyers and the others involved. The raffle items include a leather recliner, stainless steel grill and movie passes. The Drury Inn and Suites, which is connected to the banquet hall, also blocked off rooms special for New Year's Eve revelers.

"We've been very fortunate," Moyers said. "Kohlfeld, Bluff City and River Eagle have all three donated four kegs apiece, so they've been generous in doing that."

All proceeds go to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Moyers said the hospital has been a part of his life since his cousin had leukemia as a child.

"He was treated by St. Jude very successfully; he's 36 years old now," Moyers said. "My mom was always really involved when she was a teacher, doing math-a-thons and bike-a-thons and things like that, so it's an organization that I've always known a lot about."

Moyers said a little more than two years ago, the daughter of one of his friends was diagnosed with leukemia.

"That really hit us close to home. They're good friends of ours, so a group of our friends got together with family members and were able to pull off a benefit two years ago for her," Moyers said.

He said everyone had a great time, and they were surprised at how a party could really bring in some money to benefit people.

Since the start of 2010, Moyers and friends thought about doing something similar to that benefit, but for St. Jude.

"The basic premise was to have a good time and whatever money we've got, let's give to a good cause," Moyers said. "This is a cause that all of our friends really believe in."

Pam Dannenmueller, who's also involved in planning the benefit, knows firsthand the care and treatment St. Jude provides. Her daughter, Katelyn, was diagnosed with cancer in October 2008 and the family has visited St. Jude since then for treatment. Katelyn celebrated her 5th birthday Thursday.

"As soon as we got there, they treated us like family," Dannenmueller said. "St. Jude has covered everything for us, from travel to lodging to eating. I've always wanted to do something to give back and I never really knew what to do, and when Tyson approached me with this idea, I thought it was fantastic. This is something that we would like to make an annual event that will grow."

Moyers said tickets are being sold in advance only so they don't buy too much food for dinner. Tickets are $50 a person, which includes dinner and drinks. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the dinner starts at 6:30. The organizers do not plan on selling tickets at the door. Raffle tickets will be available that night.

Tickets for the event and raffle tickets for people who do not want to attend, but want to help, are available at Concepts Styling Salon at 107 West Drive, Suite C in Cape Girardeau or by calling Dannenmueller at 573-264-2584 or Moyers at 573-887-3258.

Pertinent addresses: Bavarian Halle, 225 Drury Lane, Jackson

Concepts Styling Salon,107 West Drive C, Cape Girardeau