Save the pool and ride your horse! On Saturday, May 14, a subcommittee of the Committee for Safe Swimming (CSS) will be hosting a family-oriented fundraiser at the Sanders County Fairground Pavilion in Plains for the Save Our Pool campaign.

“We focused on a community event,” said Polly Gill, Chair for CSS and one of the subcommittee members. “For me, I identified it as a ‘wow’ event. I wanted people to walk in and say ‘wow, that looks like fun!’ So it’s been nicknamed the community ‘wow’ event. We wanted a family-fun day, with the proceeds going to the pool. The entire event was planned as a massive fundraiser and while hoping to attract a wide audience within the community who is interested in our exciting auction items they can also enjoy some family entertainment.”

“The community and businesses have contributed so much to this huge endeavor of saving our pool,” Gill added. “The immediate crisis is over, but in the future, there are many pool issues that still desperately need attention. This Community Roundup’s focus is to earn additional money which will be used to address other current and future ongoing maintenance issues above and beyond the sand filter.”

With registration beginning at 10:30 a.m. and going until noon, the Wild Horse Plains Back Country Horsemen will host a six-mile Family Poker Trail Ride. Adults will play poker while riding their horses. The 4-H Club will also ride for pledges and those who bring in pledges will receive special awards. First prize is a leather breast collar, second prize is a leather headstall and third prize is a cantle bag. Twenty or so items will be raffled off for everyone who rides.

Later on, about 3 p.m., an entertainment act will kick off the live and silent auction. Many businesses and community members have contributed and donated to this event in an effort to bring in money for the pool. Some things up for auction include antique baseball cards, an original 1874 buffalo soldier letter, a tea set from England, Wingate from Wyndham pool party, and certificates.

In fact, Phyllis Shear found a way to do her part with the auction part of the event. She donated a quilt that she’d made with the help of Sue Baker and Neva Thompson.

“My daughter was on the swim team, and I wanted to help out in some way,” she said. “My way of helping out was donating the quilt to the auction for the Community Roundup.”

The quilt was being displayed at the Rocky Mountain Bank for awhile, but has since been taken down to prepare for the auction.

After the community participates in the thrill of fast-paced bidding and some not-so-vocal offerings, a Chuckwagon dinner will be served by Burwell’s Butcher Shop at 5 p.m.

“The food is something like what you would see on a trail ride. It has a western theme: pulled pork sandwiches and barbecue chicken,” Gill said.

After everyone devours the food, there will be music and dancing and general entertainment. Gill hinted at a comedy show, a fiddler and the band Montana Dark Horsemen, all to be playing live at about 7 p.m. There will be a mix of music—anything from rock ‘n’ roll to country music, literally something for everyone.

Admission is $12 for 12 years and older; $10 for 6-11 years; five and under are free. For more information about the Family Poker Trail Ride, call Cindy Ray, member of Wild Horse Back Country Horsemen and (another subcommittee member) at 826-5840. For the meal and dance portions of the evening, call Chris Wagner at 210-3679.