VIDEO: Carhartts and Caviar ignites the torch of support in Swift Current

An enormous sold-out crowd filled up the Great Plains College last night, making bids and taking home this year's Carhartts and Caviar crop.

The fine items featured at last night's annual welding program fundraiser ranged from wine holds, wine cabinets, and an outdoor set of furniture perfect for enjoying a glass of wine in. 

The students from the graduating class of the 2024 program were decked out in their signature Carhartt coveralls and were more than eager to show off their efforts to the people of Swift Current. 

Encouraging all of their efforts and shepherding in the bidders was Brad Mahon, CEO of Great Plains College. He himself was sat front row for the auction subsequent Junkyard Wars. 

Great Plains College CEO, Brad Mahon. 

"I feel surreal," said Mahon. "We work towards this for so many months and to see it come together, to walk into that gym at 6:30 p.m. and it starts with that atmosphere. Then you walk around, you see the pieces, and the crowd starts to fill in. It's my favourite night of the year. I gotta say it's pretty awesome." 

Junkyard Wars saw an auction competition between two teams of students. Each team had a representative elected to auction off their items, which were a pair of wine cabinets. 

The 'Mama Juice' cabinet was presented by Jared McKenzie, who enlightened the crowd as to the origin of the term, and its parental roots. 

The first sold for $800, and was outdone by the winning $1,700 bid on the second cabinet. That enormous contribution to the welding program came from the always supportive Swift Current Mayor, Al Bridal, despite his claim to have been told by his wife to not come home with anything this year.

The rustic wine cabinet will surely enjoy its new home, where it goes to stay courtesy of Bridal's generosity. 

"I'm not going home with it," said Bridal. "I bought it, but I already talked to somebody here that needs one, so I'm going to give it to them."

For those worried that tax dollars may have gone into this charitable endeavour, worry not. 

"And just so everybody knows, this is not City taxpayer's money," the Mayor clarified. "This is all Al Bridal's personal money." 

All in all, the auctioned items from the welding program generated $16,850. That includes the $1,400 that won a lucky attendee the services of Jared McKenzie, head instructor for the welding program. This money goes towards supporting the welding program's regular costs, as well as helping in other ways. 

Every year, Jared McKenzie's efforts as an educator are on full display in the work of his student body.

Tickets normally sell out fast. If you want to get your seats for next year's Carhartts and Caviar, make sure to keep an eye out for when the sale opens later this year. 

Mahon doesn't think the price of tickets will be going up right now, but it's an important part of the discussion each year.

"We talk about all of those things every year," said Mahon. "But I think at this point we're going to stay the course." 

As for meeting the demand at current prices with a larger venue, it's something that the College is hesitant to embrace. Currently, the event is the best night of the year for bringing in the community to the campus and exposing them to the environment.

"When you look out there, we've got community leaders, business leaders, and our three levels of government, along with alumni and our students and staff," said Mahon. "They all come together here at Great Plains College. That is something that we don't want to lose." 

For the time being, the best approach is to be quick on the draw when tickets emerge, as the announcement was made by MC Ryan Switzer, that Carhartts and Caviar will return once again in 2025.