The Hollywood Firehouse was packed for a dinner-dance on Feb. 9 that raised thousands of dollars to help local resident Erin Mattingly in her battle with Lou Gerhig’s Disease (ALS).
Erin, 33, has three children and is married to CJ Mattingly, son of Jenks Mattingly, Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department Vice President.
Tickets for the six-hour event, (at $75 a couple) sold out quickly. The menu was packed with crab, beef tenderloin, desserts and an open bar. All of the food was donated by Jerry’s Seafood, of Seabrook. There were door prizes, and a DJ kept everyone moving.
But it was St. Mary’s County Commissioner Dan Raley who stole center stage when he conducted the evening’s auction, running frantically across the dance floor and back calling out bid amounts.
Raley’s auctioneering proved successful. It was announced that evening that the auction alone raised $29,000.
Check out Raley in the attached video clip keeping the crowd amused while getting the job done auctioneering.