ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Those looking to help fund a great local cause while also having some fun will soon have that opportunity thanks to Southwest Miracles.
Southwest Miracles will be hosting its 16th annual Shindig event, which will be Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Seward County Activity Center at 810 Stadium Ave. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and as a BYOB event, patrons must be 21 years old or older to come. The event will feature a steak dinner, a live and silent auction, and there will be live music from Lendon James and his band. Tickets are $25 each, and anyone wanting tickets can call (620) 626-5035 or any Southwest Miracles Committee member, as they will not be sold at the door.
“It should be a great time, and it's a good night to just come out and have some fun,” coordinator Terry Tanking said.
“The funds we raise from this is how we operate for the year, so we hope a lot of people end up coming out that night,” Southwest Miracles member Heather Williams added. “Anyone needing a wheelchair or walker or gift cards for out-of-town appointments, that's not possible without the support of the community.”
Tanking said there is a lot to be excited about with this year’s event.
“I'm just excited about it all, it should be a great night. Southwest Miracles is a small organization with a small group of volunteers on the board that makes everything happen,” Tanking said. “This is the 16th year we've hosted this event, and that's a big achievement for us, and we love seeing it get bigger and bigger. We also have some volunteers who help with this Shindig event, and we're very grateful for them and everything they do, we couldn't do it without them. They deserve a lot of praise because we didn't get the tickets sold or all the items for the auctions, it would be very, very difficult for us to do what we do throughout the year. It's a big family tree, and we all help each other out.”
Williams and Tanking agreed they hope for a big turnout with this year’s Shindig.
“You might think you're just buying a ticket for a meal and entertainment, but it's so much more than that,” Williams said. “The money we raise goes toward buying medical equipment for our supplies like the walkers and wheelchairs we keep in stock, or the aforementioned gift cards for those out-of-town medical needs. People might think they're just buying a ticket, but it's so much more than that because you're helping people in the community in their time of need and helping contribute to the longevity of the organization. It's so much more than just a nice meal and good entertainment, it's for a great cause.”
“It's the same with the auction items – you can probably get some of this stuff online, but through this, you're helping our organization and the people who need it, whether it's someone who needs a wheelchair after a surgery or a lady who's had a premature baby and will be staying out of town for a little while,” Tanking added. “We want to help take a bit of that burden off of those people so they can concentrate on being with their loved ones.”
Tanking and Williams said planning for this year’s Shindig has been happening for almost a year.
“We usually start rounding up extra volunteers around December, and that's when we start meeting and really getting people in gear and get them assigned certain tasks because that gives everyone enough time to know what they're doing while still being kind of close to the event,” Tanking said.
We've hosted the Shindig the last Saturday of February every year, so it's embedded in all of our minds that's when everything will be happening.”
“And we communicate a lot through group texts because we all have full-time jobs and other commitments with family and activities and all of that, so that's the best way for us to all keep in touch and be reminded of what they're in charge of for the event,” Williams added. “It might not be fun hearing those constant pings, but we're definitely good about keeping in touch with each other, and everyone's so committed. The more serious conversations about nailing everything down happen more around December, but we're in constant communication with each other to make sure everyone's on the same page.”
Williams and Tanking added there are other ways people can support Southwest Miracles and its mission.
“Donating something to the auctions is a great way to get your business's name out there and showing your support for a good cause,” Williams said. “I've also learned if you have one or two people go out and get all the auction items, they're more curated to those tastes, but if you have more people volunteer to donate one or multiple items for the auctions, you can end up with some really cool stuff. It's always interesting to see and hear people's thoughts about what would work.”
“People can reach out to Southwest Miracles by calling (620) 626-5035, and they'll be connected to our answering service. If they want to donate some items for the auctions or make a monetary donation, they'll just need to call that number and let us know,” Tanking added. “For the auction items, we'll accept pretty much whatever people want to donate since all the money will be going to a good cause. As far as medical equipment, they'll just need to call that number, tell us what they have, and we'll come and look at the item and make sure it's something we would actually be able to use.”
Tanking also expressed gratitude about the event reaching such a big milestone and said the future looks bright.
“I've been with Southwest Miracles for all 16 years, so I've seen it from the very beginning when we were only helping out a few people to now when we're helping out a lot of people,” Tanking said. “I'm excited every year for us to achieve more and help even more people. In 2024, we had 1,495 phone calls come in to the answering service, and we were able to help the majority of those people, so I love how much we've expanded and how much more we're able to help. But like I said before, we wouldn't be able to do that without the support of the community and everyone who believes in our mission. 16 years is a lot of time and a great milestone for a small organization like ours, and there's no other group in this area that does what we do. It would definitely be great to branch out into another city maybe a little farther outside of this area so we can help make even more miracles happen for people. We're also wanting to start some scholarships and we've already been having some initial conversations about how all of that would work. Our Shindig is for adults, but I'd also like to see us do some family events, maybe in the summer, so everyone can be part of what we do and have fun, and that's something else we've been having some initial conversations about. We want to branch out and do more and help more people.”
Overall, Tanking and Williams said, this year’s Shindig should be a good evening for all patrons.
“I think it's also important for people to know what to expect when they call us and need a piece of equipment or something else. When people call that number, they'll talk to our answering service, and they'll ask some questions and get some information,” Williams said. “After that, that will get transcribed into a text message that hits the Southwest Miracles phone a couple times a day, and then within 24 hours, we'll get back to you and see what we can do to help, because there are a few things we don't have the resources for. And it's all volunteers, which we take pride in, and we will do our best to help you as quickly as possible. And like I said earlier, people think they're buying just a ticket to a night out, but it's so, so much more. Last year, we ended up raising about $80,000, which was great, and it let us help a lot of people.”
“I want to stress again how we can't do any of this without the support of others who care,” Tanking said. “If there's another organization that would want to partner with us for something, we'd completely welcome that. Or, if you want to donate some of your time, we would welcome that too, they would just need to call us and talk to us about what they want. Come out and have a good time and support a great cause, because it's well worth it.”
