ALTUS – U.S. Senator James Lankford will be the featured speaker at a GOP fundraiser hosted by the Southwest Oklahoma Republican Women.
The 15th annual Beans and Baskets fundraiser will be held at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Altus Community Center, 401 Falcon Road.
Lankford, who has held the position since 2015, previously represented the state’s 5th congressional district for the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015.
Deb Davis, president of Southwest Oklahoma Republican Women, said they’ve had to increase the number of baskets and food.
The fare includes beans and cornbread, macaroni and cheese and desserts–all handmade.
“Last year we had three roasters and this year we’ll have four because people can’t get enough,” she said. “Normally we have about 12 baskets and right now we’re sitting at 17.”
Davis some people tend to come for the food and others primarily for the basket auction, but everyone enjoys a good meal and fellowship. At times the bidding war can become intense, all in good humor for a good cause, she said.
J.C. Watts, 4th district U.S. Representative from 1995 to 2003, attended the first auction 14 years ago. He was bidding against Renee Schultz who “playfully,” but with some force struck him on the arm as he kept bidding up higher and higher.
“It got down to just the two of them and she’d thought she won the basket and then J.C. bid against her again,” Davis recalled with a laugh. “She absolutely knocked the fire out of his arm. Everyone in the room was laughing so hard and it didn’t bother J.C. at all; he was egging it on.”
Basket items can be quite valuable, Davis said. Last year they received a donated gun that was the center of the bidding war.
“We’ve always got a little bit of everything, every kind of item in the world,” Davis said.
Funds raised go to support GOP candidates who have drawn an opponent, but if not the money goes to local causes and nonprofits, Davis said, as it will this year.
They’ve supported special events and first responders who collect toys for children during the holidays and a local pregnancy resource center, Pathways, in addition to the ministerial alliance.
“We have given thousands of dollars to these projects,” Davis said. “There are other groups we don’t help every year because they don’t need it, but when they do, we help them.”
Tickets are $40 per ticket or $200 for a table of eight. Advance tickets are encouraged as limited seating will be available at the door. Tickets are available to order through QR code to the right or via a link at swokrw.org.