Inaugural Casino Night Scheduled By Chamber

The dice will be rolling and the fun is sure to be happening, as the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce presents its inaugural Casino Night on Saturday, Aug. 12. The first time event will be hosted at Gene Bianchi Community Center. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and gaming will be hosted from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“It’s for fun,” Oakdale Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer, Cher Bairos stated. “It’s an event put on by the Oakdale Chamber. It’s our first one, so its inaugural.”

Bairos further pointed out with the Chamber not hosting the Chocolate Festival this past spring, this event and others like it will help offset profits lost and aid with overall operating costs for the Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re looking at not being an events-based Chamber,” Bairos said of the efforts being put forth by herself and Chamber Membership and Marketing Director, Bri Swan. “We want to be a resource Chamber, not an event space. We love events, but we’re getting new members every day. It’s just the way we’re doing stuff and people just want to be a part of it.”

Part of being a part of it, however, is raising money to keep the Chamber going and while membership is up, as occasional event is not only good for revenue, but Chamber members as well.

Tickets for the Casino Night are $80 each, which includes a full open bar hosted by H-B Saloon, coffee, desserts and heavy appetizers offered by Chamber members: Backwoods Burgers, Cocina Michoacana and House of Beef. Ticket price also includes $1000 of playing money. Additional money will be available for purchase: $20 for $1000 or $40 for $3000.

“The first $1000 is included in the $80 (ticket cost),” Swan shared. “They go to each table and then they’ll have a minimum bet which is $100. They can make 10 bets with the first thousand dollars and then we’ll have a station where they can buy more.”

“There’s no money. This only fake money. It’s all for fun,” Bairos added. “It’s entertaining, but if people want to buy more, they can buy more as soon as they walk in the door.”

The two added that the company they are working with bring more to the table than just staffing it with dealers, they entertain the players while they are gambling, which adds to the fun. Tables of Black Jack, Roulette, Craps and Texas Hold ‘Em will all be available for people to play.

“It’s more interactive. It’s more mingling, mixing and just having fun,” Swan said.

Bairos shared she was first inspired by the idea when attending a similar event hosted by Oakdale Museum and History Center as a fundraiser at the Country Club several years back.

“I thought it would be fun to do something new,” the CEO said of presenting the idea to Swan and the Chamber’s Board of Directors.

“People are excited about it, but we do need to sell tickets,” she continued. “It is a 21 and over event. We are also looking for table sponsors. Every Black Jack table will host the table sponsor information.”

With the push to get the word out about Casino Night being just a few weeks away, as well as sell tickets and acquire sponsors, Bairos shared her overall goal for the event.

“Three hundred would be awesome, but 200 would be fantastic,” Bairos said of ticket sales for this inaugural event.

Tickets can be purchased at oakdaleCAchamber.org; at the Chamber office; calling 209-847-2244 or emailing Swan at [email protected]

A silent auction will also be available with prizes and experience opportunities.

“We wanted to do a silent auction because we feel people get more experiences out of that,” Swan shared, referring to the items that will be offered. “We can have it for just fun activities versus just a basket of stuff.”

“Which we’ll have baskets too,” Bairos added, “but they (the committee) didn’t want to do too many different things.”