BONAIRE COUPLE WINS MUSEUM OF AVIATION FOUNDATION RAFFLE

PHOTO: Cheryl and “Buddy” Matlock, center, receive their prize from June Lowe, left, Executive Vice President, and Pat Bartness, right, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Museum of Aviation Foundation

Warner Robins, GA – Charles “Bud” Matlock and his wife Cheryl from Bonaire were the big winners Saturday, July 16, at the 26^th Annual Museum of Aviation Foundation Auction, Raffle and Taste of Local Cuisine. Their ticket was the lucky one drawn to win $30,000 cash or a choice of a new car or truck from one of eight Middle Georgia car dealers. The couple attended the event but left before the drawing was held. They have decided to take the cash. “We just bought a new car,” said “Bud” who works for Boeing on the C-17 program.

The second raffle winner of $3,000 cash was Helen Grady from Macon and Keith Bennett from Kathleen won the $1,000 third prize. Tori Hulette from Bonaire also won $1,300 in the “blinking pin” heads-or-tails 50/50 drawing.

The event was a great success, according to Pat Bartness, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Museum of Aviation Foundation that put on the annual event. “This is our second largest fund raiser each year to raise money to help the Museum. We had a great turn out and the event raised $203,000 in cash and another $58,000 worth of food donations from 29 restaurants and caterers.”

A total of 448 items donated from individuals and local merchants were on the auction block. Auctioneer Heather Nardi from Hawkinsville Auction Gallery conducted the live auction with 38 of the items. Several of them brought the crowd alive like a mink coat, jewelry, an autographed Charlie Daniels fiddle bow, a guitar signed by Wynonna Judd, 50-yard-line tickets to the Gator Bowl and a week in a 4-bedroom cabin in Wyoming donated by Georgia State Senator Ross Tolleson. Other hot items were a Washer and Dryer from Flint Energies, a dinner for six people at the home of Major General Bob McMahon and his wife Hope, NASCAR tickets and a framed Atlanta Braves Jersey autographed by Manager Bobby Cox. The Century of Flight Hangar was filled to capacity with people bidding on items and enjoying food from local restaurants and caterers in the Taste of Local Cuisine.

A long list of volunteers donated their time and efforts to help sell tickets and procure items. Steve Davison, owner of Clean Control in Warner Robins was the overall event Chairman. “This event is very important to keeping our Museum the best in the Air Force and I’d like to thank all the donors, supporters and attendees for making it the best one we’ve ever had.” Jimmy Autry served as Procurement Chairman and Rick Drury as Raffle Chairman. A total of 1,184 raffle tickets were sold at $100 a piece. A large group of volunteers from Robins Air Force Base also helped with setting up the auction items and decorating the hangar.

The car dealers participating in the raffle were Five Star Ford, Five Star Chevrolet, Five Star Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Five Star Hyundai, Five Star Nissan, Hughes Honda, Lowe Toyota and Jeff Smith Kia.

Christine Rosenbaum holds up one of the items up for bid at the Museum of Aviation 26^th Annual Foundation Auction and Raffle July 16. A total of 448 items were donated for the auction.

Robert D. Dubiel