October 30, 2014
Trade clues and gather information, to solve the crime before the masked menace gets away at the ‘Murder at the Masquerade’ fundraiser, presented by the Mesalands Community College Foundation, Inc. This event is Friday, November 14, 2014 and will be held at the Mesalands Community College Great Room. Doors will open at 6:30 pm for a silent auction and the dinner theater will begin at 7 pm. Tickets to the event are $50 per person. Proceeds from the “Murder at the Masquerade” fundraiser will be used to support programs, which benefit Mesalands Community College and their students.
“In the past, the Mesalands Foundation had a shrimp boil. We decided this year since we have a new College President and new Foundation Board members, that we needed a new theme for our annual fundraiser,” said James Streetman, Secretary/Clerk of the Mesalands Community College Board of Trustees and Secretary of the Mesalands Community College Foundation Board. “Our fundraiser this year will be different, exciting, and something new.”
The Mesalands Foundation Board members, include: Laurie Bidegain, Chair; Craig Currell, Vice Chair;
James Streetman, Secretary; Craig Cosner; Liz Estrada; Jeff Lewalling and Beth Sisneros.
The Mesalands Foundation hired the Murder Mystery Company to perform an interactive comedy mystery and murder production. According to their website, the Murder Mystery Company was founded in 2002 and is the nation’s largest mystery theater company.
“Our theme is a Billionaire’s Masquerade Ball and the murder takes place during the event. Then the Murder Mystery Company is on location to solve the mystery and we help them solve it throughout the night,” said Kayton Abbott, Mesalands Community College Foundation Coordinator. “This event is definitely generating a lot of excitement and interest around the community.”
Streetman attributes the idea of the murder mystery fundraiser to Abbott. Abbott stated that she was impressed by the Murder Mystery Company’s references. She said a team of six actors will be performing at the event and some of these actors will be coming from New Mexico and Texas. Abbott also stated that she is excited to be hosting the event on the Mesalands campus.
During the ‘Murder at the Masquerade’ fundraiser, a variety of memorabilia items will be sold during the silent auction, including, a guitar autographed by 15 county music legends, an autographed poster of the movie “Cars,” and an autographed poster of the cast of “Duck Dynasty.” All of these items will be custom framed and will include a Certificate of Authenticity. Unique experiences offered at Mesalands involving the Rodeo Team, the Annual Iron Pour, and the Paleontology Field Class (Dino Digs) will also be auctioned.
Tickets to the fundraiser are available at the Mesalands Community College Business Office and Bookstore, Bobs’ Budget Pharmacy, and from a Mesalands Foundation Board Member.
“The top priority of both the College and the Foundation is to help our students succeed, in any way we can,” Streetman said. “So we want the community to come out and just have a good time, as we continue to support the students at Mesalands Community College.”
