TEXARKANA, Texas - A soiree where people gather to help restore one of the most unique and historic homes in Texarkana, is coming up Thursday, Sept. 16, at the Ace of Clubs House.
From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., enjoy dinner, drinks, conversation and more at the Texarkana Museum System's 6th annual Southern Social and Draw Down, which will raise funds devoted to restoring Ace of Clubs windows and other parts of this 1885 Italianate Victorian home that need repair.
Texarkana Museums System Board President Velvet Cool said they will give away $5,000 at the draw down with anywhere from 10 people to one person winning the prize.
"When we hit 10 people that are left in the drawing, we will give them the opportunity to split the $5,000 or keep going. And if any one person says they want to keep going, then we keep going for everybody," Cool said. "Then we'll do that again when we hit five people that are left. And then from five it will be every time we draw somebody out then we'll ask again, do you want to split the money or keep going?"
The cause is much-needed repairs to the home with an octagon-shaped wing and a legendary history.
"We have been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Texas Historic Preservation Trust Fund, so that $30,000 we'll have to match," Cool said. "We'll have $60,000 from that."
The draw down should bring another $10,000 to $15,000, and then a Daughters of the American Revolution grant is set aside, roughly another $10,000, Cool said.
"So we're looking at $80,000 sort of seed money to work on windows and other critical needs at the Ace of Clubs House," she said. Most of that is earmarked for windows with flexibility for the remainder, about $10,000.
To raise funds, the evening's festivities will include an open bar and socializing on the lawn.
"It's like an old-fashioned social where people just go from their table to talk to their friends," Cool said. "We always do either an exhibit in the home that people have the opportunity to see or incorporate something into the table decor that pertains to the Ace of Clubs House, the museum."
This year the focus is the TMS's 50th anniversary because the organization opened in September of 1971, a half-century ago.
"So we're going to pepper the event with tidbits about the museum and about local history," Cool said. They want to stay true to the TMS mission and include a historical element.
For dinner, Benchmark American Brasserie will serve beef stroganoff and chicken a la king, plus peas and carrots and appetizers.
"The good thing about our Southern Social is we always make our board members make homemade desserts, so we'll have an assortment of desserts, like in an old-fashioned social," Cool said.
The social and draw down will be held outside on the lawn. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available if people want to use them.
"We encourage everyone to get vaccinated and stay safe," Cool said. "And you do not have to be present to win."
Draw down tickets include dinner and drinks for two people, plus that chance to win $5,000. A ticket with "insurance" gives two chances to win the cash prize.
(Admission: $100 for a draw down ticket with no insurance, $120 for a draw down ticket with insurance. The Ace of Clubs House is located at 420 Pine St. Register at TexarkanaMuseums.org/SouthernSocial. More info: 903-793-4831.)