Throughout the history of Southwestern Community College’s annual gala, the “Boots, Blue Jeans & Bling” event has consistently surpassed previous years in fundraising. Held on September 23 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, this year’s gala generated over $150,000 in support of student scholarships, reflecting a remarkable 20% increase from the 2022 gala.
For the second consecutive year, the gala sold out, even in a larger venue, with over 600 attendees compared to approximately 425 the previous year. During the event, two current SCC students and scholarship recipients, Jo Loewi and Jacob Eilers, took the stage to address the audience, sharing their stories of how the assistance from the SCC Foundation has positively impacted their educational journeys.
Elizabeth Cartwright, a recent graduate of SCC’s Nursing program, featured in a short video, illustrating to attendees how their past support enabled her to complete her associate degree and secure a position at Haywood Regional Medical Center.
Adding to the success of this year’s gala, an anonymous donor pledged to match up to $10,000 in additional donations made on the gala evening. The guests not only met but exceeded this goal, providing an additional boost to the event’s overall impact.
