The Nevada Silver Tappers and Ms. Senior Golden Years will host their 32nd Annual Christmas Benefit Show and members are excited to report that tickets are in such high demand, “There’s actually a waiting list!”
Set for Sunday, Dec. 3 at the Saddle West Showroom, the Christmas Benefit Show is one of the main fundraising mechanisms for these sister organizations, bringing in thousands of dollars each year. However, that funding doesn’t just stay with the Silver Tappers and Ms. Senior Golden Years. Instead, the proceeds from events like the Christmas Benefit Show are presented as donations to various local nonprofit causes.
For 2023, the Southern Nye County Federation of the Blind will be the beneficiary, a choice made by Silver Tappers and Ms. Senior Golden Years Founder B.J. Hetrick-Irwin.
“Ellie Wilshusen was our Ms. Senior Golden Years Queen in 2022 and the Southern Nye County Federation of the Blind was her platform, so we’re going to honor her platform this year,” Silver Tapper Ione DeSantis explained.
DeSantis is a longtime Tapper, having joined the group in 2005 and she’s one of the leaders behind the Christmas Benefit Show, alongside Kim Cornell-Lyle. She said all the ladies were anticipating a very successful event, which will feature routines from the Silver Tappers, performances by members of Ms. Senior Golden Years and a few guest entertainers as well.
“It’ll be a fun show! It’s very Christmasy this year, with lots of holiday numbers and of course, a few numbers that nobody has seen before. And the opening of the show is going to be so magical,” DeSantis said. “Our guest performers this year will include local songstresses Lynn Peterson and Kai Brandt and we’re going to have an outside group from the Methodist Church who is going to be performing ‘Away in a Manger’ with their bell ringers, which is new for us.”
Carrying the show from performance to performance will be master of ceremonies Stephani Elliott, the granddaughter of Hetrick-Irwin. “Stephani will be our wonderful emcee and she is absolutely amazing. She’s so professional and we are very lucky to have her carrying on the tradition from her dad,” DeSantis remarked. “We have such admiration for her.”
Taking on a special role at the event will be Pam and Phil Raneri, who will be playing Santa and Mrs. Claus once again, giving youngsters the chance to take some keepsake photos prior to the show.
The Christmas Benefit Show is set for 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3. Anyone interested in being added to the wait list for tickets, which are a $20 donation per person, can call Jackie Greco at 775-751-3468.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com