The Gravette Athletic Banquet was held on May 20th at the Lions Arena to honor Gravette High School athletes across all sports and celebrate the close of a strong year in Lion athletics. The evening started with the silent auction and dinner. Shortly after that the ceremony began with an introduction by Athletics Director Andrew Vire, followed by the annual Senior Dessert Auction. After a memorabilia auction, former head coach Mr. Bill Harrelson joined to present the Casey Russel Award to Carter Flint and Kenlee Harris.
This year’s banquet raised $13,225 through the silent auction, a team memorabilia auction, and the featured dessert auction. That total marked an increase of more than $2,000 over last year’s event. Proceeds help meet essential needs within the athletic program, including student recognition, program development, and team resources.
During the dessert auction, seniors brought forward homemade or hand-selected desserts, while attendees bid competitively from their seats. This year’s dessert auction winners were:
Drew Madison
Sydney Kildow
Peyton Greer
The auction began in 2021 under the lead of Chuck and Megan Mayo and quickly became a defining tradition. Organized by the Booster Club with help from volunteers, it has grown each year and remains a proud part of how Gravette celebrates its athletes.
After the auctions, coaches from every sport spoke about their teams’ progress, shared season highlights, and recognized individual athletes. The athletes were awarded as coaches and staff shared acknowledgements.
The generosity of those who attended was a powerful show of support for Gravette students. Every bid placed served as an investment in the experiences, development, and opportunities that define Lion athletics.
Special thanks to the Gravette Athletic Booster Club for organizing the event and to Lion Athletics for maintaining a facility that continues to provide a welcoming and professional space for celebrations like this one.
