Dancing, live and silent auctions, sampling of exquisite food and wine and a live performance from Jasmin’s are anticipated for the eighth annual A+ Scholar Wine and Food Tasting Extravaganza on Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Cotillion Ballroom of the Donald G. Bollinger Memorial Student Union.
Donations from the event will be used to fund the A+ leadership scholarships awarded every year. According to Amanda Fremin, assistant director of financial aid, admissions gives away fifteen of the scholarships. Various colleges and departments who attend give away scholarships as well. She said last year approximately 25 scholarships were awarded.
The event is open to the public. Tickets are $75 a couple and $50 per person if purchased in advance. Anyone interested in buying tickets can call David Boudreaux, vice president for institutional advancement, to make reservations.
Rebecca Tucker, director of development, said tickets would be sold at this price until the night of the event. She said tickets would also be sold at the door at an increased price.
Boudreaux said so far the gold sponsors, who pay $500 to obtain 20 tickets, have been the big donors for the event.
“I am very pleased that academic departments and colleges have come in as gold sponsors — that is very significant,” Boudreaux said.
According to Boudreaux, the event started eight years ago when Norman Swarmer, former owner of Bubba’s II, decided he wanted to significantly help the University. Swarmer worked with Suzanna Kortz, former Nicholls development director, and came up with the idea of a food and wine tasting event. Boudreaux said they did a lot of hard work and the event “has grown by leaps and bounds.”
Tucker said her primary role on the A+ committee is to work with Swarmer and talk to the different companies and restaurants for sponsorship.
She said in the past the responses from different companies and restaurants have been great. According to Tucker, Boudreaux sends a letter to past sponsors inviting them to participate in the event. She said they also find new sponsors.
“Once the companies have participated, I think because they enjoy themselves, they want to come back the next year. It is a good way to promote their business,” Tucker said.
Tucker said last year was the first year the event was moved from the Thibodaux Civic Center to the ballroom because it outgrew the civic center. Tucker said this worked out well because the silent auction was held in the Plantation Suite while the rest of the event continued.
A new aspect of the event this year is the dancing that will follow the live auction. Boudreaux said that Jasmin’s provides excellent music, and people are always asking if they can dance. This year the answer will be yes.
Boudreaux said this event has been very successful. The first year the event brought in $8,000, which was enough money to cover the scholarships, but now $12,500 is required to cover the scholarships. In the past five years, a minimum of $10,000 has been made to start an endowment, which has increased to $50,000.
“Any surplus money in an endowed fund will be there perpetually, and the interest that is generated will be useful in awarding additional scholarships,” Boudreaux said.
According to Boudreaux, the live auction will have many items to bid on such as a $150 gift certificate from Saadi’s Haberdashery donated by Saadi’s Haberdashery, a $300 overnight stay at Windsor Court donated by Windsor Court and a $400 dinner and overnight stay at Lafitte’s Landing Bittersweet donated by Chef John Folse.
“This event reflects well upon Nicholls because it is a nice environment; people have a good time tasting good food and wine. People also enjoy bidding on the items from the live and silent auctions, and the money raised from the event benefits students,” Tucker said.