Sources: Shannon Rowe, 316-371-8799, srowe1@k-state.edu;
and Kristin Slater, 913-485-1716, kslater@k-state.edu
Web site: http://www.k-statetda.com

Friday, April 2, 2010

K-STATE TRAVEL AND DINING AUCTION APRIL 9 AT K-STATE ALUMNI CENTER

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University students in hotel and restaurant management will be hosts to the 14th annual Travel and Dining Auction at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 9, in the K-State Alumni Center Ballroom.

The event will include both silent and live auctions. Emcee for the evening will be Casey Walker, senior in hotel and restaurant management, Wichita. Vern Gannon, Topeka, will lead the live auction. Hors d'oeuvres, prepared and served by K-State hospitality students, and wine and beer, sponsored by the Tallgrass Brewing Company and King Estate Oregon Wines, will be provided throughout the evening.

The Travel and Dining Auction is a fundraiser to help students in K-State's hospitality management program earn financial support for traveling to regional and national food and lodging conferences, as well as educational scholarships.

Including in the auction this year will be an electronic Wii gaming system, high definition 32-inch Samsung television, various bottles of wine, a plethora of food and dining gift certificates, rounds of golf, hotel stays and more.

Free parking is available in the West Stadium parking lot or in the K-State parking garage for $1.50 per hour. Shuttle service will be available to take guests to and from the west parking lot.

Reservations are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Reservations can be made online at the Kansas State University Foundation Web site at http://www.found.k-state.edu/tda or by calling Karla Wisdom at 785-532-7513. More information on the auction also is available at http://www.k-statetda.com.

"The Travel and Dining Auction is a valuable learning experience and is vital to the success and the scholarship section of the hotel and restaurant management program," said Shannon Rowe, senior in hotel and restaurant management, Wichita, who is serving her second year as auction co-chair and is a third-year auction team member.

"Last year we raised more than $30,000, and our goal for this year is $40,000," she said. "We are hoping the generous contributions from alumni, parents and friends of the program will help us reach this goal."