Lynn non-profit heading back to disco era for annual fundraiser

LYNN – It is no mistake that Centerboard planned its major fundraiser for May 4.”That’s 5-4, aka. Studio 54,” said Special Projects Coordinator Carla Scheri, referring to the New York City nightclub made popular during the late 1970’s disco era. “Our theme is Saturday Night Fever, it’s a real disco event.”It is also the non-profit’s – which works with teens and adults for the betterment of the city – biggest fundraiser.”We’re billing it as the event of the year, which it will be for us,” Scheri said.DJ Spinelli, a disc jockey out of Revere, will spin tunes for the party that will also include a heads and tails raffle, a cash bar and a silent auction.”He’s great, he really brings the fun,” Scheri said, referring to Spinelli.The heads or tails raffle is a departure from the typical 50/50 raffle, Scheri said. She said everyone receives a glow stick where the ends are marked heads or tails. They literally pick heads or tails, everyone flips and ones who call it correctly remain to play another round, Scheri explained.”You just keep going until there are only two,” she said.The funds raised will be used to keep the youth organization’s music program on track. The program includes an Internet radio station, a recording studio and what Scheri called a very cool class called “lyrics to go.” In lyrics to go kids are invited to come in and learn to write lyrics, once they get that down they’re encouraged to head into the recording studio to record tracks, she said.”The end result is we would like to raise enough money that we can have CD’s made of the kids’ work,” she said.There was an initial fee for the Internet radio station, which Scheri said has gotten off to a good start and she would like to see continue.”There is a lot of interest,” she added.Scheri said everyone has been coming together to make the fundraiser a success. She credited Kelly Wall for her work with volunteers and Bill Doane for donating his time to the project.The event will be held May 4 at Lynn Museum from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets are $35 and include hors d’oeuvres as well as dancing.”We’re encouraging people to wear costumes and I can’t even explain how we will trick out the Lynn Museum,” Scheri said. “We’re going for big fun. It’s going to be super for everyone.”For more information on the event or to purchase tickets go to www.centerboard.org.Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].