O’Keefe Ranch is pulling out all of the stops to renovate the Greenhow Museum.
The fourth annual Black Tie and Blue Jeans Gala takes place at the historic site in Spallumcheen May 27.
“The Greenhow Museum is in need of significant upgrades, including an addition of a wheelchair access ramp and a new entrance staircase, new flooring on the main floor, new display cabinets to showcase our collection, a renovation of the curator’s office, and finally, a complete and proper enclosure of the basement to provide a safe environment to house the collection,” said Glen Taylor, ranch manager.
“It may take another three years of fundraising efforts and additional grant opportunities to meet the goal of raising $100,000, but the gala committee and board of directors will not shy away from the challenge.”
The Black Tie and Blue Jeans Gala will include tours of the O’Keefe mansion, stagecoach rides, a blacksmithing demonstration and a walk through the historic village.
Guests can also expect a live auction with Don Raffan, of Valley Auction, and it will include golf packages, wine tours and a fly fishing trip. There will also be live music, an Elvis impersonator, a professional photo booth, trivia games and a ranch- style meal. The emcee for the evening is Jason Armstrong from Kiss FM.
The doors open at 4:30 p.m., dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and the auction takes place at 8 p.m. Tickets are $75 per person, and they are available at okeeferanch.ca until May 24.
“In 2016, the ranch generated 66 per cent of its operational costs through admissions and fundraising efforts and that number is slowly growing. That is significant for an independent historic site,” said Taylor.
“In addition, we are taking great strides towards the preservation of all building projects, and the Black Tie and Blue Jeans Gala is one event dedicated towards the preservation of our historic buildings.”