Beginning at 5:30 p.m., while guests are enjoying hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction of theme baskets will be in progress. Several area businesses and individuals have donated lovely baskets for the auction. All kinds of baskets will be available including a scrapbooking basket, a tea basket, a garden basket, and baskets provided by R.A. Mercer, The Gernatt Family of Companies, Allison’s, McCormack’s, Dragonfly Baking, the Healthy Community Alliance and Tri-County Physical Therapy, to name just a few of the more than 20 baskets that have been donated for the auction.

     The Feb. 25 dinner is also a fund-raising event for the Chamber. This year, a portion of the monies raised will be put toward the purchase of a community bulletin board to be placed in the village center and used to publicize events of interest to area residents. The need for a centralized place to announce events has been a concern of the Chamber for some time. One of the Chamber’s goals for 2006 is to provide this convenience for the community.

     A buffet-style dinner with carving stations will be served beginning promptly at 7 p.m.

     After enjoying assorted desserts, the 2005 Spirit of Gowanda Awards will be presented to Excellence in Youth Award recipient Maggie Schultz, Community Service Award recipients Sue and Jack Torrance and the Business Award to the Gowanda PennySaver/News. Throughout the evening, music will be provided by the Jon Wilder Quintet, and following the awards and completion of the silent auction, Wilder’s music will continue for listening and dancing until 11 p.m.

     Many members of the Chamber are involved in working out all the details of the evening, which promises to delight everyone. As chairperson, Sue Torrance is pleased with the cooperation she has received and with the anticipated results. “We are using a spring theme with lots of candles and spring flowers and colors,” said Torrance. This program has always been a highlight of the Chamber’s year and the board of directors decided it was time to give it a “facelift.”

     “We have had a lot of fun getting ideas, refining them and then pulling it all together. We hope that everyone will come out and enjoy a very special evening,” added Chamber President Dale Koch.

     Tickets, which are $30, are available at the Chamber Office, at Community Bank and at Johnson’s Plumbing & Heating only until Feb. 17. Tickets will not be available at the door. Persons wanting to reserve a table should contact Sue Torrance at 532-0728 or Dorothy Selan at 532-2834.