Blue Suede Dinner and Auction to kick off featuring Blackhawk

JACKSON, Tenn. — It’s time for a special event that brings West Tennesseans together to support the Exchange Club-Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse: the Blue Suede Dinner and Auction.

“Blue Suede Dinner and Auction is the second largest fundraiser for the Exchange Club-Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse,” said Rita McCaslin, co-chair for the event.

Organizers say every dollar raised will go to support children and families across West Tennessee, and this will be the 26th year for the event.

“We hope to raise a lot of funds to the programs that the center offers for free,” McCaslin said.

On Friday, everyone was setting up for the big event. McCaslin says a silent auction will start at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a live auction and dinner, then entertainment by country band Blackhawk.

“We are excited to have them here. Music, food and auction items that are fabulous and every bit of it towards the center’s programs for the year,” McCaslin said.

“It’s just wonderful because everyone participates,” said Teresa Ide, owner of Carriage House Antique Market. “We have over 100 dealers, so we’ve got a lot of stuff to sell, and then people can bid on it and then the money will go to the center.”

“Businesses that have been coming for years, and we call them the exclusive group, and they will offer several items from their business and then the live auction items will be various large dollar items that you can bid on the floor,” McCaslin said.

The event will be held in the lower level of the Carl Perkins Civic Center.

“It’s just a lot of fun and it’s all for the center, for the kids,” said McCaslin.

Blackhawk’s hits include “Big Guitar,” “That’s Just about Right,” “There You Have It,” “Every Once in a While,” and their all-time chart topping hit “Goodbye Says It All!”

For information on how to get tickets, go to the Seen on 7 section of our website.