St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Drawdown Fundraiser Set for May 17

By Carson McKinney
Hottytoddy.com intern

The St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Drawdown fundraiser in 2018 drew large crowds. This year’s event will be on May 17. 
Photo from St. John the Evangelist Church Facebook

The 9th annual St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Drawdown fundraiser will offer Italian food, music and a chance to win $10,000.

The event will be held at 7 p.m. on May 17 at the Oxford Conference Center. Funds raised will benefit local organizations such as Clayton Stevens Trust, Love Packs, Doors of Hope, Interfaith Compassion Ministries and The Oxford Pregnancy Center.

Though the theme changes every year, the drawdown itself is the central attraction.

An entry ticket, which allows two people into the event, also enters the guests into a televised bracket which eliminates names until only one name remains, and that person wins the $10,000 prize. People can split the reward with others to increase their chances to win and buy “insurance” so that they get another chance to win even if their name is pulled in the first 100 tickets.

This year, long-time St. John’s Parishioner Thomas J. “Sparky” Reardon, who served as Dean of Students at Ole Miss for 36 years, oversees the drawdown and had some say in this year’s theme, “Italia La Dolce Vita.”

“The event always had a different theme (but the) big attraction is the drawdown,” Reardon said. “We did Italy this year because it’s a popular travel destination and we have several Italian families in our parish.”

The event will feature a variety of Italian foods including an antipasto station with meats, cheese, olives, homemade crackers, toasted ravioli with marinara, pepperoni, Stromboli, mini-muffuletta, sausage and pepper sandwiches, cannoli and tiramisu from A&N Catering. Jimmy Carr State Farm Insurance will sponsor Gelato and The Library Sports Bar will sponsor a Limoncello bar. Those who stay late will also be treated to pizza slices.

Besides food and drinks, live music will be provided by Memphis natives The Dantones, and a silent auction will sell artwork and travel packages to Wriggly Field and concerts across the United States.

One-time drawdown winner Robert Perry, who now oversees ticket sales, says Catholic or not, all members of the community are encouraged to attend.

“There’re just as many, if not more, non-Catholics at the event than Catholics,” Perry said. “The whole community really supports the event. It’s a big party.”

Interested parties can contact Robert Perry at 405-465-4704 or Chris Rousseau at 662-231-7742 to purchase tickets.

Tickets are $125 each for two people.