BASS UNLIMITED BANQUET and AUCTION
A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS
By Ramona Moore
The Toledo Bend Lake Association’s (TBLA) 21st Annual Bass Unlimited Back-A-Great-Fighter Banquet and Auction was a tremendous success.
It was a beautiful evening that defied the early-week weather forecast. The sold out event began with over 600 guests, sponsors and volunteers browsing items available in both the Silent and Live Auctions and the raffle drop boxes, while Emcee Ricky Yeldell mingled throughout the crowd with music playing in the background.
Ricky asked BU Chairman Ted Dove to give the invocation and then he invited Negreet High School junior Abby Shanley to the stage where she led everyone in the singing of the National Anthem.
TBLA President Gaynell Goodeaux welcomed the guests and took a moment to recognize and show appreciation for TBLA members that we have lost this year: Bill Galligan, Dee Smart, Gene Furlow, Harry Stafford, Kathy Meyer, and Astrid Brown.
Ms. Goodeaux then announced the winner of the 2024 Glynn Carver Memorial College Scholarship. Dawson Leone of Zwolle High School was awarded the $6000 Scholarship.
She also announced that TBLA has awarded a $5000 College Scholarship to Kason Parker of Shelbyville High School, and a $5000 College Scholarship to Victoria Gaspard of Many High School.
Following these recognitions the crowd enjoyed a delicious three-meat BBQ dinner provided by Brisket House of Jena, Louisiana.
Auctioneer Kevin McDonald took the stage and kicked off the evening’s main event with the live auction. The first auction item was a “Patriot Package” including a carved cedar American flag, and the enthusiastic bidding set the tone for the entire evening. Several Lake Area experiences were sold in the Live Action during the evening, including a BBQ dinner by Sabine Parish Sheriff and local pitmaster Aaron Mitchell, a “Dream Day on the Bend” catch and cook experience donated by Living The Dream Guide Service, a private tour of Pineywoods Vineyard with wine-tasting in Hemphill, a “Play & Stay” package at Wildwood Resort, and a weekend stay for 12 at Lost Frontier RV Park & Marina.
To conclude the Banquet, Grand Prize Raffle coordinator Bruce Rogers conducted the live drawing for the first two guns in the 2024-2025 52-Gun Grand Prize Raffle. Deborah Chance of Hornbeck, Louisiana, won the Ruger American “Go Wild” 6.5 Creedmore Rifle, and Raymond Childress of Haughton, Louisiana, won the ATI Cavalry 12 Gauge over/under Shotgun.
The night culminated with the “Ginormous Door Prize”, a Weber Pellet Grill sponsored by Toledo Town Hardware, that was won by Debbie Mong of Houma, Louisiana.
TBLA thanks the 2024 sponsors, supporters, and volunteers who graciously donated time, merchandise, money, and talents toward making this event a success. Early estimates from the night’s events indicate that the 2024 Banquet was the most successful in recent years. This money is used not only to fund the Toledo Bend Lunker Bass replicas but also college scholarships for deserving students, re-stocking Florida Bass fingerlings into the Lake, assisting High School fishing and 4-H shooting teams, artificial reefs, and many other worthwhile projects around the Lake.
TBLA is grateful to everyone for making this Bass Unlimited Banquet an occasion to remember and hope that you put Friday, April 25, 2025, on your calendar for next year.