the Cedar and the Flicker.
The Roundhouse was indeed rockin’ the night of October 18 when the practice gym in Charles Koch Arena was transformed into three party lounges for hundreds of groovy Shocker supporters at the fundraising event of the season.
Presented by sponsors Aetna and Delta Dental of Kansas, Rockin’ the Roundhouse (RnR): Shocker Shindig featured food, drink, dueling pianos from Ernie Biggs and trimmed down versions of RnR’s traditional silent and live auctions.
“This year,” notes WSU Alumni Association events director Mandy Fleming, “the spotlight was on the party!” With fewer items up for bid in both the silent and live auctions, shindig-goers had more time to enjoy the food and personalized drink specials and to socialize in the three Shocker lounge areas: Whiskey River, the Cedar and the Flicker.
Of course, fewer auction items also made for lively bidding! In the silent auction arena, among the high-sellers were access and use of the alumni association’s skybox at Eck Stadium, advertising in The Shocker and original photos of Wichita State Shocker basketball players — Cleanthony Early, Ron Baker and Tekele Cotton, to name three.
Silent auction items generating the most bidding action included all kinds of unique opportunities, such as taking home a signed Tim McGraw guitar or taking to the skies in a Boeing Stearman PT-17, and anything and everything sporting Shocker black and yellow, from rugs to scarves to jewelry to quilts.
In live auction action, the top-dollar-generating package was the “Shocker Coaches for a Game” offering donated by Gregg Marshall. Also sparking excitement were packages featuring Shocker coaches Todd Butler, baseball; Jody Adams, women’s basketball; Chris Lamb, volleyball; as well as “Presidential Dining” with WSU President John Bardo and his wife Deborah ’75/77.
Mixed in with RnR perennial favorites, including a trip for wine aficionados to Napa Valley vineyards and wineries owned by Shockers (Thank you, Rudd Vineyard and Winery, Summers Estate Wines, and Futo Wines!) and a trip for pro football fans to Green Bay to experience a Packers game from the vantage point of seats on the front row (Thank you, Bob Long ’64!), were brand-new options for high bidders.
For example, first-time contributors the Ambassador Hotel OKC and Oklahoma City’s Midtown Vets, Dr. Leonardo and Margaretta Baez, made it possible to offer RnR-goers the chance to see former Shocker standout Cleanthony Early as a New York Knick at the Nov. 28 Knicks vs. OKC Thunder game. And, thanks to the 1964-65 Final Four team, RnR attendees had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bid on a package for eight basketball fans to dine with that special group of Shockers this coming February.
