Nearly 700 people, including U.S. Sen. John Barrasso and his wife, Bobbi, raised nearly $198,000, on Saturday night at the annual Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming Reverse Raffle and Auction at the Casper Events Center.

Guests at the "Let Their Light Shine"-themed evening enjoyed a dinner prepared by Al Moerke and his Volume Services staff, a massive silent auction and a live auction to raise operating expenses for clubs located in seven venues in central Wyoming. Gary Julian won the $5,000 cash reverse raffle and donated half back to the club.

Youth ages 6 to 18 receive after-school and summer mentoring in areas ranging from homework help to self-esteem building and creative arts at the greater Casper branch on K Street, Glenrock and Douglas locations, and after-school programs inside elementary schools at Paradise Valley, Mills, Verda James and Evansville. Paradise Valley and Evansville schools also host BGCCW neighborhood summer programs.

Members pay annual dues on a sliding fee scale, and scholarship help is available.

Chief professional officer Ashley Bright says the $197,984 raised includes sponsorships, cash collected at the event and good faith invoices.

"After expenses, we will have approximately $150,000, which is phenomenal," he said. "We were worried. We just did not know how the uncertainty surrounding the economy would affect the outcome."

The live auction concluded with folks pledging any amount they could to help a cultural drumming program to enhance the year-old choir at the club. The "paddle raise" netted $10,500, according to Bright.

The Natrona County Prevention Coalition announced a $125,000 grant to the club for 2009.

Barrasso fired up the crowd with a brief message about the need for grassroots organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, and then on Fox News Monday, mentioned to anchor Jamie Colby that he and his wife had attended an event "back home with 700 people there."