It was a Boot Scootin’ good time Saturday night at the ninth annual Boots ‘n Barbecue Gala, sponsored by the Wylie ISD Education Foundation. The gala was a fundraiser for all of Wylie ISD that also recognized multiple teachers’ efforts to win grants for their schools in the district.

All community members of Wylie were invited to join in the fun and have some dinner while there. At the start of the night, the lobby was bustling with neighbors eager to bid on items in the silent auction-which included a large bible, some easter treats and a carved Raider sign.

“The auction is half the fun,” Board member Mark Bailey said. Dressed in cowboy attire, Bailey carried his shotgun through the foyer seeking $10 dollar donations for bracelets.

Soon after, the party was shifted into the ballroom for some dancing and dinner. Couples danced to the  rompin’ music of Ben Lowery and the Texas Express band.

“It’s more of a tradition to dance than a necessity,” Foundation President Betty Stephens said. Stephens oversaw the events on stage while the dance floor heated up.

Before dinner, the Searching for a Star winners performed the pledge of allegiance and the National Anthem, along with a separate solo. Senior Alexis Self was one of them.

“I love that I get the opportunity to do this with Searching for a Star,” Self said, “I feel like I have won a hometown American Idol.”

Afterwards, the second auction took place with keynote speakers for each of the items auctioned where Travis Brorsen of Adventures with Travis and Presley, a popular children’s book series, spoke about the importance of teaching manners in elementary schools of Wylie.

“This community would not be the wonderful community that it is without all of the people in this room,” Brorsen said, “the educators sitting at these tables are the people who make this community shine. By teaching my program in schools, Wylie can shine even brighter.”