Bingham Crisis Center raises $7,400 during benefit dart tournament

BLACKFOOT– The Bingham Crisis Center annual dart benefit took place at the Colonial Inn this past Saturday, raising approximately $7,400 in one night.

This was the ninth year of the dart benefit. Linzi Gasper, who sits on the crisis center’s board of directors, has organized it each year. She originally started the event to help fill the financial gaps left after grants and other resources were exhausted.

“The water heater went out and we didn’t have the funds to get it fixed, so I decided that I belong to a big dart community in the Blackfoot/Idaho Falls area and we decided to do a benefit to see if we could raise enough money to buy them a new water heater,” said Gasper.

The first year of the event, Gasper was able to raise $800 — enough to cover a new water heater. Over the years, the event has grown in the number of participants and sponsors. It now raises thousands each year.

“It’s our best fundraiser every year and it’s allowed us to help pay off the building. It’s allowed us to renovate our shelters and it also makes a difference in being able to fill in our gaps,” crisis center Executive director Scott Smith says. “We just have cracks in our grants where there’s not enough funding and this makes up that difference.”

Assistant director Josephine Thyberg says most of the available grants only cover certain things, like basic operating expenses. Fundraisers like the dart tournament help compensate for that.

Participants in the tournament competed for first, second, and third place medals. Gasper said the most coveted trophy is the “Toilet Bowl Award,” which goes to the worst team of the night.

The dart benefit included a taco bar, two separate raffle tables and an auction. Items for auction and raffle were donated by participants and the event organizers. All proceeds went to the crisis center.

“We started off with just the raffle the very first year and then we’ve just built it up overtime. The auction is actually what brings us in the most money,” said Gasper.

The Bingham Crisis Center addresses issues with domestic and sexual violence, covering all of Bingham County. Their services vary depending on the situation, but they generally provide advocacy support, individual counseling and emergency shelter. It has locations in Blackfoot, Shelley and Aberdeen.

To donate or learn more, visit its website.

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