Fundraiser meets DAV goal, donates to food bank

A local group had unexpected success with a fundraiser last weekend, surpassing their goals to help buy a new van to transport veterans and to donate to help feed the hungry.

The Little Black Dress Party event, held at the Havre Eagles Club Saturday, raised more than $3,000 for the local Disabled American Veterans chapter, to help it match funds for a new van to transport veterans to medical care, and the Havre Food Bank, along with collecting 430 pounds of nonperishable food items for the food bank.

"It was absolutely amazing," Emi Moore, who spearheaded putting the fundraiser together last year and this year, said about the turnout and amount raised. "I didn't think it would be that much."

Lou Hagener, who headed up the DAV fundraising effort, said the $2,000 the Black Dress affair gave the DAV put it at its goal. The van has been ordered, and he expects it to arrive in mid-spring, Hagener said.

The local DAV needed to raise $14,500 as a local match for the national DAV contribution.

Moore said the event also raised $1,003 in cash for the food bank to go along with the food contributions.

She said the event brought an estimated 160 or more people to the Eagles, with contributions of food accepted as a voluntary payment to enter.

"It was packed," Moore added.

At the party, people were served food, participated in silent and live auctions and listened to the band at the club that night, the local classic rock band Blind Luck.

The first Little Black Dress Party in 2011 was an invitation-only event, which raised money for a local woman's cancer treatment.

Moore said, especially with the success of expanding this year's fundraiser, the organizers plan to make it an annual event, with a different charity selected as the beneficiary each year.