Annual fundraiser raises over $750K

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Doing something you love while being able to give back to a good cause is what the NEA Baptist Charitable Foundation’s Duck Classic is all about.

The fundraiser, hosted each year, starts with a nice dinner and auction where all the proceeds go back to the foundation. This year, the 20th Annual Duck Classic was a HUGE success and raised over $750,000 to go toward programs that provide free services to the communities served by NEA Baptist.

“…Our community responded with one of the highest attendances in the 20-year history of the event. The over $750,000 raised will impact countless lives over the next year through the work of our foundation”, said Kim Provost, Executive Director of the NEA Baptist Charitable Foundation.

The non-profit foundation currently supports the following programs: the Center for Good Grief, Center for Healthy Children, Medicine Assistance program, HopeCircle, Wellness Works, and ShareHope.

“The community sees the impact this foundation creates, and they give back, they show up, they buy items knowing through their donation big or small they are making an impact on someone’s life here,” Marketing Director for NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital Ty Jones added.

Duck Classic attracts participants from 10 states as well as corporate sponsors from major leaders in the duck hunting industry, and according to Jones, thousands attended the banquet at First National Bank Arena.

The two-day fundraiser features dinner, raffles, and live and silent auctions. It then ends with a duck hunt where teams of four go out bring their ducks back and roll a dice to determine how much it’s worth, with the winning team taking home a grand prize.

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