The B Team Podcast
Talking all things Business, Bentonville, and Bourbon. Hosted by Josh Saffran, Matt Marrs, and Rob Nelson. New episodes every Thursday!
The B Team Podcast
Ep. 78 - Sip, Support, Serve: The Gentsgiving Story
Ever wondered what happens when bourbon enthusiasts, charitable hearts, and a tight-knit community come together? Gentsgiving is the answer—a unique charity event that has evolved from humble beginnings into one of Northwest Arkansas's most anticipated annual gatherings.
On this episode of the B-Team Podcast, Emily Saffran joins us to pull back the curtain on this exceptional fundraiser that's changing lives through its support of pancreatic cancer research and veterans' services. As co-founder of Gentsgiving, Emily shares how the event has grown dramatically while maintaining its intimate, family-like atmosphere that sets it apart from typical charity galas.
What makes bourbon lovers mark their calendars months in advance? The carefully curated selection of rare, allocated spirits that most enthusiasts only dream of tasting. This year's lineup includes coveted pours from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection—George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, and Thomas H. Handy—with hints that the legendary Pappy Van Winkle might make an appearance. And for those who prefer other spirits, there's good news: the event now offers alternative options.
We dive into the exciting auction items that have become legendary in their own right, from custom-crafted bourbon cabinets to the chance to create your own signature ice cream flavor at a local shop. Emily reveals how these one-of-a-kind experiences drive fundraising while creating memorable moments for attendees.
But what truly distinguishes Gentsgiving is the personal connection to its causes. When recipients of the charities' services share their stories, there's "typically not a dry eye in the room." This emotional core, combined with exceptional food, premium spirits, and genuine camaraderie, creates an experience that sells out faster each year.
Whether you're a bourbon aficionado, a philanthropist at heart, or simply curious about community-driven events that make a difference, this conversation offers valuable insights into creating meaningful charitable experiences that people eagerly anticipate year after year.
Listen now to discover why Gentsgiving has become much more than just another charity event—it's become a beloved tradition that brings people together for extraordinary causes. Mark your calendar for November 6th and follow @Gentsgiving_NWA on social media for ticket information!
Welcome to the B-Team Podcast. I am your host, josh Saffron, with my co-host, matt Morris, and our permanent guest, rob Nelson. We're here every week to talk to you about all things Bentonville, bourbon and business the B-Team Podcast Be here. Welcome to the B-Team Podcast. I'm your host, josh Saffron, with my beautiful wife.
Speaker 2:Emily Saffron.
Speaker 1:My co host, matt Morris, our permanent guests Weird.
Speaker 3:Robby, yeah, robby, bobby Jim.
Speaker 1:And we are here every Thursday for all things Bentonville, business and bourbon. Today is going to be a rough day for me. I'm going to be a glutton for punishment because I brought in the brains of the Gents Place, the Saffron House, pretty much everything, and the founder of Gem Charitable Trust yeah, gentsgiving.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Woo Gentsgiving.
Speaker 2:It's team effort, not just me. Well yeah, Rob helps Woo Shout out to Jet Scaling it's team effort, not just me.
Speaker 3:Well yeah.
Speaker 1:Rob helps.
Speaker 4:And we're off.
Speaker 1:No, we do have the meetings, and Rob is part of the board.
Speaker 3:And then Rob typically no-shows or shows up. I was going to say what are the stats? Does he show up to more of those meetings or more V Team? I would say I show up to more of those than V Team. I don't know about that. I've hit every one, except one, I think, this year, and we're just now kind of kicking it off. Well, we've had three, he only had one, or two.
Speaker 1:Well, we had three. He showed up for one, he no-showed for the second and then was late for the third. Like 10 minutes, my time is money.
Speaker 3:And you guys were just getting over all the BS that you start the meeting off with anyway, so it was perfect. Yeah, I talked to him. He's like I show up 10 late because then we were ready to start. He says there's a lot of fluff in your agenda. Well, Emily's in charge of the agenda, so Shout out to Emily, Well no, we get your fluff out of the way and then we get to the agenda. The meetup, but yeah, but Josh, politics from the beginning.
Speaker 2:You got to deal with all the Well, he's the mayor, because then where we have the meeting, he knows a lot of people and we get sidetracked and stopped and he has to shake hands and kiss babies and hear life stories.
Speaker 3:So I know I got a good, easy 10, 15-minute window for a bar. That's smart.
Speaker 1:You look very pretty today, though. Thanks, did you do something different to your hair?
Speaker 2:Nope Looks good.
Speaker 1:Looks good. Anyway, jim, gentsgiving Guys, I don't want to take this one over, because I'm humbled and all serious by the work that Emily leads, and you guys have been a part of it for the last couple years.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's a charitable event November 6th this year, yes, and it's focused on giving back to a veterans charity and pancreatic cancer. Now you guys have been active participants.
Speaker 3:That's actually how I met you guys. Yeah, that is how I helped Emily carry food in to the very first time.
Speaker 4:You did.
Speaker 3:Josh was inside talking to people, emily and I carried everything in.
Speaker 1:So you were wooing my wife in the parking lot? Yeah, shout out to Carrie. I don't know where she was.
Speaker 3:Well, it was only men back then.
Speaker 2:That's right. Emily was like we've got to change this. It was so much fun.
Speaker 3:It was. That was one. I mean they're all great, but that one was just Social project. Yeah, social project it was a good one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we were packed there. It was a great showing like sardines.
Speaker 3:Yes, like matt and I were already tipsy by the time it started, because you're having all those good beers yeah, yeah but, now, that was uh, you guys, you guys. I mean leaps and bounds every year.
Speaker 4:That's what I was gonna say it's amazing how much it's grown in just the three years. It's. It's now one of the bigger events. I mean people talk about it. It's got buzz.
Speaker 3:I mean what? What I'll say about the events is? I mean we're going on what year four, but it's grown greatly, it's like doubled each year. Yeah, I mean the growth is just staggering, but yet it's still casual. It's fun.
Speaker 2:I would say it's intimate, it's special. It's not your typical event that is in town, you get on a big gala. It's not your typical event that is in town, you get on a big gala. It's not impersonal, it's very fun. It's like you're sitting in your living room with your friends, almost.
Speaker 3:And I call it charity season here in northwest Arkansas and when charity season kicks off, it kicks off and we love all the charities right and we try to support as many as we can and even have them here on the podcast which we've filmed a few of them so far, but I mean I would say it's this one's the closest to all of us sitting in this room. Yeah, because we're.
Speaker 3:I mean, you guys literally graded it and yeah, you know, you guys are, you guys are family. Yeah, well, unfortunately, you become family we've always been charitable people.
Speaker 2:We've always given back to the community. We started doing little raffles and fundraisers and giveaways and things like that through our business and, just you know, writing a check. And as it has grown over the years, we sat down and we're like we really need to separate this out of the business and create a 501c3 so that we can grow it and we could have the benefits that come with that to kind of give back to the community. And so it kind of took off. We have a great group of friends who helped us, which was really amazing, and this community is known for charitable giving.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So it really the stars aligned for us at the right time, and we positioned it around Veterans Day, so in the fall, gala season is typically in the spring here. So I think that you know, people at the end of the year have charitable budgets, whether it's personal or professional, and so it's the right time ahead of the holidays to be thankful. Also, it's the month of Thanksgiving, and so it just it's morphed into something really special and I think it's a multitude of reasons, but it's really the people that are involved and I think that it's. You know, when we come together it's so much fun. It's more than just, oh, I have another charity to go to. It's fun and people look forward to it. And now we're actually selling out well before we get close. The first year it was like we were selling tickets right up until the end. Now we're selling out like with a month or two to spare. So we've tried to grow it every year and find a new location that can accommodate the growth in just the numbers of people who show up.
Speaker 4:In a couple of years you guys are going to be down at the W Reynolds Stadium, so the Razorback the idea that we're able to keep it still intimate.
Speaker 2:As we've grown, we've somehow had the ability to keep us as a group that kind of feels like we're at an intimate gathering, and I think that if it got too big we would lose that special piece of it.
Speaker 1:I think we would raise more money, but I think it loses the special piece of what it is. And when I was watching last year because I I'm kind of helping host some of the stuff from up front you're looking around the room and it's like a huge thanksgiving dinner, like there's all these tables there and everybody's talking to one another and people are getting up and chatting and bidding on things. Everyone's like this. This felt like a family at a charity event which I got that feedback multiple times.
Speaker 3:I mean, you know, obviously last year was an eye-opener for all of us involved, but I think keeping the number of people who attend at that number, you will still see increase in donation amounts year over year as we learn more and we take the feedback and we listen. I mean we really have listened to the feedback and this year is going to be a whole other level.
Speaker 2:And in addition to the great bourbons which I think is the draw people love to come, because we really do a really nice job of having hard to find allocated bourbons that is on everybody's bucket list or that they have been, you know, wanting to try, or they've tried once and they can't wait to get their hands on it again. But we have a community of artists and craftsmen and talented people who are donating amazing auction items, and so you know, we get a lot of the proceeds come from the ticket sales, but almost more come from the auction items. And so Dave Morris, who has been really generous Shout out to Dave Morris, shout out to Dave, really generous has shot to dave has year after year created these one-of-a-kind pieces that have been really huge. In as far as auction items, you know people really love them. He did a double duplicate last year for people who wanted it. Um, bourbon cabinet one year beautiful entry table but it's funny with dave.
Speaker 1:So we started the charity. We got introduced to dave before we knew you guys and he came into the gents place and said hey, I want to do some charitable things with you guys. And that's sort of what we ended up doing. And the first year I think he was nervous Like it was going to be embarrassingly bad. So he was not involved at all until like two days before we're like this is how many people are coming, and there's a script. This and there's a script. This year he's loved it so much he called us and said this is the charity that I want to do and this is who's going to be there. And last year Jenny came as well and you guys, the wives, all came last year. It's really morphed to a point where people are proud to be associated with it. Oh for sure. And I think we've actually sold out tables before we're actually going live with tables, which is insane.
Speaker 2:Yeah, insane yeah. And I think, as we've incorporated women or wives or significant others, we've taken their feedback as well. So now we have the spirits ticket, where, if you are not a bourbon lover or a bourbon fan, but you want to come because it's such a fun and great event, you can come and enjoy open bar or something different. You don't have to participate in the tasting, and so I think the the people who are non bourbon lovers really appreciate that.
Speaker 4:I think my wife Corey was part of that feedback. Oh, it was direct and it was unfiltered and it was I'm not coming unless I get tequila.
Speaker 1:I go all right, tequila it is. Shout out to Corey. That's right, Shout out to Corey.
Speaker 3:And this year we're going to have some auction items geared more that way. Yeah, as well.
Speaker 2:That's more feedback, is some some things for the ladies, so we're working on that.
Speaker 1:So we haven't publicly announced this yet, but there's going to be a date night with Bobby as one of the auction items for the ladies? No, but let's think about that.
Speaker 2:What do you mean?
Speaker 3:Angie can come as well. I thought you were going to say like there's going to be a trip to Napa or something in the auction list that would be nice. Maybe you guys could work on that. Never gone, as we want to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a great time.
Speaker 1:I mean, the biggest auction item last year happened to be the B-Team podcast. I mean yeah that was huge.
Speaker 3:I mean Right, we should do it again though.
Speaker 2:Yeah, throw it out there. We should do it again.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, bobby and I are going to have to bid against each other to get the third seat.
Speaker 3:To get a permanent guest. Permanent guest I love it.
Speaker 1:I love it. Well, Michael Brewer would bid $10,000. Shout out to Michael Brewer that would be the number one auction item. We'd have his picture up there. He'd be great. He's part of the B team. That'd be great.
Speaker 3:That's it In. It's all for charity.
Speaker 1:Can you imagine? Matt come on, because that was the other cool thing we did last year Everybody come up. That was part of the auction items we had. You guys come up, matt come up. We're going to auction off the permanent guest seat for season three. I think that may go for $100,000. Yeah, you never know, you never know, wow Deep pocket, and Bobby wouldn't even bid.
Speaker 3:He'd be like back into the trees. I love it. I mean, look, all the time I'll get him back.
Speaker 1:We need to put you on the planning board.
Speaker 3:Yeah but I mean, everyone needs a charity that they support. This is our charity that we do here.
Speaker 1:Oh, whatever, can you share any of the bourbons this year?
Speaker 2:that we're going to. I don't want to give it all away. I want to have some surprises. Tickets are going on sale soon and we will have the full list of bourbons on the ticket sales, but some of the favorites are part of the antique collection from last year. We'll be doing the other half of it, so George T Stagg is this year.
Speaker 1:William Leroux Weller, I love how you don't know the bourbon and you're making it. I'm so impressed with you. Thomas Handy, you look beautiful today. This is a rye actually. Oh what else?
Speaker 2:would you like to taste Thomas Handy? This is a rye. I love a good handy. It may or may not be an appearance by Pappy.
Speaker 4:Ooh, wow, I have my stag time.
Speaker 2:I'm going to stop there. I do want to add, though a lot of people think this is just a bourbon tasting, but this comes with a full surf and turf dinner.
Speaker 3:Which is amazing. Yeah, it was great.
Speaker 2:It was a really great event. Like, I mean, we have the same caterers back this year because they loved the event so much that they came back and said we'd like to do it again. We didn't have to ask them, so that's. And then we have, Obviously, russ Kempton, who is, you know, the OG shout out. He's like the encyclopedic knowledge of all things spirits.
Speaker 3:Kempton Stowe, and can we share what we have pre and post the events as well, too Sure, yeah, that's big news.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so this year we're doing VIP. We did VIP last year where it's an hour of just networking and camaraderie and some special curated cocktails and some light bites before. But we're going to do a VIP before and after party. This year May or may not have some music involved, but we'll have some special cocktails curated to kind of.
Speaker 1:Is Jim playing guitar?
Speaker 2:No or ukulele.
Speaker 4:I don't play the ukulele. He plays the guitar. Play guitar poorly. You want people to show up at the VIPs. Actually, you don't want people running from it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:And then at your party, which will be fun.
Speaker 2:We had a lot of people stay after last year and have a really fun time into the hours, and so that was a request that they would love to have something more next year.
Speaker 1:Can we go back to the food for a second? Sure, because we have talked about multiple charity events. So when you go, typically the food is a low light, like it's, like it's reheated, this agree. This meat comes out, it's dry, you know, like I can't even have a bite of this, the food. Last year, I mean it was a 10 out of 10, yeah, I mean shout out to terry at catering shout out to terry she does an amazing job.
Speaker 2:She's got a huge team and they just knocked it out of the park. I mean, it was efficient. Food was hot, it was like right out of the oven. It was delicious Bread, appetizers, salad, I mean shrimp filet, I mean the list goes on. It was really really good. So everybody was really happy with the food.
Speaker 4:You look very pretty today, so you've done this now a few years. What gives you the most anxiety? Is it?
Speaker 2:starting to approach.
Speaker 3:Having to deal with Josh. I think all that gives her anxiety is all loaded gun over there. I mean, you know what they say never ask me a question unless you already know the answer to it. Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2:I would say that for the most part, when you all get an invitation to go to a gala, you show up, it's fine, you go home, but there's so much work that goes into it and all of the main galas in town have a team of people and we really don't. We have a team of people five or six really.
Speaker 3:That kind of five and a half. Is that why you said five or six?
Speaker 2:everybody has a role, and so we have a great partnership with sazerag and lisa boris, who's been phenomenal shout out to lisa and she's been so helpful for us trying to find hard to find bourbons and you know rob has been so generous with his time and mangy and helping us with all things like from helping to do this right back and opening up his home and and auction items, and same with Matt and I mean just everybody is pitching in. It's not one thing that I could do, but logistically it's kind of like herding cats yep so it's really hard to get everybody on time together, participating.
Speaker 2:A lot of reminder or dissent. Did you reach out to this person? Did you circle back with that person?
Speaker 1:So hypothetically, Rob was supposed to reach out to Ben Blakeman. I mean, it's on this to-do list, right In theory.
Speaker 2:You have more on your to-do list.
Speaker 1:I do, I do, and Rob, we would give him a lot of grief. He always comes through, he always comes through.
Speaker 2:Wow and Jim, honestly, Actually every single one of you at this table. No, truly, you are all the most generous of spirit, of time, of talent, of money that I know, honestly.
Speaker 4:I've been there too. Time and the talent.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I mean all of it. You all have.
Speaker 3:She's like it takes all parts. Everybody's got to know their role.
Speaker 1:I met.
Speaker 2:Matt and Rob did an amazing auction item to Bimini where it was their time.
Speaker 1:In. I'm sorry Her.
Speaker 3:Bimini is in it. I wonder if we could get Rob to sign on for another.
Speaker 2:That was two years ago.
Speaker 3:That was a great trip. I have to bring the trip back.
Speaker 2:Matt was an integral part of that trip.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:I couldn't have done it without him you talked about having a small team, if I remember right. If I remember, I think you guys had your kids helping to set it up. The early years, yeah, the kids stuffing bags and helping.
Speaker 2:You know, yeah, they helped clear plates and dishes before we had catering and I mean like literally it was us all hands on it was all hands on deck, starting it and getting off the ground.
Speaker 3:the early years no, it is like it is the one. There's not, like you said, there's not many events that we look forward to, but it is fun to get.
Speaker 2:I will tell you, rob is on me every year to say he's like okay, when are we talking about the next one? I'm like I need like four months.
Speaker 3:Nobody talks to me, so that I can just decompress. We're off and rolling yeah we started early this year. You're going to blank, though, and it's going to. No, it's August already.
Speaker 2:So we're three months out. Yeah, it's us Change. Sales are going on sale this week. Love it.
Speaker 4:So, with three months to go, what does Josh need to be more engaged with? I already know the answer to this one.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Say it, there's still two bourbons that have not been confirmed and I am helping secure them. And she said today we're going to get the pappy, we're going to get the pappy, and I'm like, I'm working on it, we're working on it, so we're going to have Lot B this year, which is one of your favorites. But so we're going to have Lot B this year, which is one of your favorites, but you're not going to walk into Guess who, shout out to Guess who and find Lot B on the shelf.
Speaker 3:So Lisa's amazing the Matt Morris liquor store. I mean the last one I brought here.
Speaker 2:You guys drank it all. I will say, in this town I'm sure in every town there is a network of guys who are just so passionate about, or men and women who are just so passionate about, bourbon, and women who are passionate about bourbon. They collect it, they store it, they have connections of how to get it. And so we've been very lucky and fortunate that we've been able to reach out to all our friends who know somebody, who knows somebody, who knows somebody who can get it. And sometimes it's not about getting one bottle, it's about getting four bottles, because if we're tasting it for 150 people, we need multiple bottles, 150 people, we need multiple bottles.
Speaker 1:But that is a thing that we probably have to explain a little better. I mean, you're tasting seven bourbons, half-ounce pours, highly allocated stuff that you're never going to find, most of the stuff you're never going to drink, in addition to the steak and shrimp dinner, in addition to all the auction items and the network and everything else. And what was cool about last year, which was the best year we've done so far, is, after the event, ben Blakeman shout out, comes up and goes. I want to be more involved.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And Clint Browning goes holy cow, this is so cool. Me and Tom Pagnot are getting more involved, yeah. And Donnie Hubbard, up there in tears about his mom passing away from pancreatic cancer, said how do I get more involved? And that's what tells you that you do a good event when you have this.
Speaker 2:many people say yeah we get a lot of people reaching out every year asking to be involved for sure.
Speaker 1:Well, you could do a pre-party, a fundraiser, at the driving range at your place too. We could, we could, it could be arranged.
Speaker 4:Check with Corey. We could have the check. I think it would be a good opportunity for you to host something, Josh.
Speaker 1:Maybe a pre-party.
Speaker 3:I mean, I would host it at your house. We could just switch out getting in the ice bath.
Speaker 4:Yes, you get an ice bath rotation you got 20 seconds, Dan Is it going to be the?
Speaker 3:same location as it was last year. Yes, yes, it will be. Yes, so it's at a super rustic barn. We're going to have live music this year, we think so.
Speaker 1:We're working through that. I thought we had a few options. We have a few options.
Speaker 3:You weren't at the last point.
Speaker 4:You can always do it if the others are all there. It's a very last resort.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but shout out to Mike Hodges.
Speaker 4:Yeah, mike Hodges, we don't give him enough.
Speaker 2:Super like, very embedded in the bourbon community, super generous, charitable, just like you guys. Kind, thoughtful, helpful. What can I kind, thoughtful, helpful? What can I do? Who can I reach out to? What handsome anything you need.
Speaker 1:I'm sure his wife melody thinks he's very handsome. I don't want to talk about me.
Speaker 3:I don't want to say but your hands are too tough.
Speaker 2:Thanks, baby um but, yes, again like very lucky to have so many people behind this event and and it's just, it's so special so dinner, it's to be the same dinner. We'll switch it up a little bit. We have very strict instructions from Russ that there can't be too much vinegar, there can't be too much salt, there can't be this, because we don't do that Can't be too stoned for a salt.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we can't confuse the palate ahead of the tasting. So it'll be a surf and turf. There'll be some really nice, comforting, warm thanksgiving. Like foods, you know, lots of bread. We do start off with a lot of bread for absorption and then some desserts we have.
Speaker 2:We have, I think, a really interesting dessert option this year, so the eighth tasting is always a bourbon cream, root beer float, which everybody enjoys, and uh, sazerac provides the bourbon cream. Um, and this year we have some friends that have opened an ice cream shop who've been on the podcast remember, oh you know the honey bean?
Speaker 3:yeah, we. But we went the next day with the kids. The kids came in with you yes, yes.
Speaker 1:Did you ever go over to eat there yet?
Speaker 3:it's amazing, is it? Yeah?
Speaker 2:so he's gonna do a custom homemade ice cream dessert that's what's so cool.
Speaker 3:cool, he makes kind of what you want.
Speaker 1:He is going to take bourbon, he goes. You just need to give me a couple cases of bourbon and I will make you an ice cream flavor specific for the event.
Speaker 3:That's awesome.
Speaker 2:So we'll all enjoy that. So $17.92, huh, that's my favorite. I'm going to give him that up.
Speaker 1:But I think, for the auction item, what he also said we could do and again, I think somebody will bid on this, michael Brewer, I think somebody will bid on this, michael Brewer where you get to create your own ice cream flavor named after you for sale on the ice cream truck.
Speaker 4:Oh I might be into that. That's kind of cool, right, it's really cool. So I'm going to order the Corbett. Yeah, the gentleman Jim Mint Chip yes, he's already got the name. I'm throwing that bit out early.
Speaker 1:But you also need to win that. You have to tell him what you want to be in it. So you could say I want fudge cookie, or I want this or I want that, just listen to the name, it's like a mint chocolate chip.
Speaker 2:Wait, are you white mint or green mint? Because that's a debate.
Speaker 4:If I had a preference, I'll be happy to go to an event where I'm not bidding on a chip that I'll not use.
Speaker 3:You've used the I mean you've, I've got three trips. That I'm still. I was going to say we just got back from a pretty cool trip. Well, some of us went.
Speaker 1:Others had a.
Speaker 3:That's cheerleading, you're cheerleading.
Speaker 4:Some of us didn't get involved. Some of us, some of us, you guys scheduled it Cheer competitions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just a regular weekend of the 52.
Speaker 4:You couldn't be there. Yeah, no, I'm not allowed to bid on trips anymore, but if you roll up at the ice, cream shop and it says you walk in with your family and say I want to order the General General, I'm in Right In 10,000?
Speaker 1:Something like that. I mean, you know.
Speaker 4:I'd drive it up, so a brewer would have to, you know, put forth a big number to beat me. What would be in?
Speaker 3:a brewer. Let's fast forward.
Speaker 1:I think there'd be, like, some peanut butter in there, maybe a banana.
Speaker 3:I think that'll actually be a great auction.
Speaker 2:I think it would.
Speaker 3:There's like you know, there's a lot of big personalities. Oh yeah, I mean, a lot of them are great.
Speaker 1:And I think everyone's going to want to do a few. A few flavors. Well, a backup.
Speaker 3:A backup, yeah for the bidding war.
Speaker 1:I just think in this town, with all the people after five or six bourbons there, they're going to roll up to the ice cream truck and the people after five or six bourbons there, they're going to roll up to the ice cream truck and they can see their name out there with their ingredients he's got a great location too.
Speaker 2:He steps from the Walmart campus, so like tons of visibility, It'll be good.
Speaker 1:We featured him on the podcast. He was great. He was great. Plus, there's going to be a new gents place up there.
Speaker 4:Shout out to the gents. Shout out to the gents yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, yeah, emily.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:So for the event, if people wanted to go in and sign up and buy tickets. What's the website?
Speaker 2:Well, we don't have a website, but—.
Speaker 1:Come on, what are you working on? She's trying to keep the cost.
Speaker 2:We're only in year four and we do try and keep all of the net proceeds to the charities. However, we have a Facebook page, we have LinkedIn and we have Instagram, so we'll be offering a link and a QR code. We also have flyers made that go around town. We also have our friends who are willing to put them out on their own social media page.
Speaker 1:Repost. Oh, I like how you looked at Matthew.
Speaker 3:I have 12 followers. I'm right with the B team.
Speaker 1:I can't get him to even share the B team stuff that I'm actually tagging him on.
Speaker 2:Yes, I understand, but you know what. We'll make it happen. We're going to get it out there, and we first. So if you've been in attendance to the prior events, we try to send you special emails that you've attended before so that you're in the know which is super smart, but these guys don't open their emails. You should.
Speaker 3:What I'll also add, too, though, is like the overall ticket cost is low for what you get compared to other events that happen on a regular basis around here, and we're a 501c3, so you get a text donation receipt as a write-off.
Speaker 2:But I just want to go back to that. Facebook and Instagram page are GentsGivingNWA so that if people are looking it up they know where to look.
Speaker 1:GentsGiving G-E-N-T-S giving.
Speaker 2:GentsGiving N-W-A. I think Instagram is underscore N-W-A. You look really nice today, thank, you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, what other questions do you guys have for Emily? I mean, I know you've been waiting to give me grief about what I'm going to do and not do in the next couple of months.
Speaker 3:Well, so the VIP it's all happening the same day, Because I know you guys had said maybe you would do something a week or two before.
Speaker 2:So again we may do a little kickoff, like a small little something like a cocktail happy hour that Josh would host.
Speaker 3:Whoa. I mean, I think that could be something where you could do like a couple pre-auction items at that, just to kind of get the money rolling.
Speaker 2:We could do that Ouch. The feedback from years past feedback is a gift, we're in a feedback-rich environment is that people wanted an opportunity to network and hang out with each other before we started the tasting, because once we start the tasting, russ gives us a very strict timeline that we have to follow and there's not a lot of downtime. We go from one to one to one to one, so that first hour is the VIP hour, which includes a bunch of extras that the general admission doesn't have, and then it's a great opportunity to network and hang out with your friends. And we did some curated batch cocktails during the VIP last year, which was nice, so we'll have those different versions of those this year. I don't want to share the surprise Lisa's working on some batch. That's Sazerac Coffee House and then the after party.
Speaker 1:And what's nice about the auction items is everybody likes when they're trying the Thomas Handy.
Speaker 2:Afterwards you can buy a bottle of Thomas Handy, yeah, so that's a new thing we did last year, and so think about last year. We had just enough bourbons to do the tasting. We went and got extra bottles and people were tasting it and fell in love with it in that moment and then it was like do you want this also right? And so that was a big surprise that everybody enjoyed last year. And all those bottles like people, they got snatched up real quickly yep, and I think the weller millennium you familiar, right nice bottle.
Speaker 1:We're gonna have one of those for auction this year, which is a three $3,000 MSRP bottle. I thought it was more than that. No, it's $3,000.
Speaker 4:I think it's $3,000 or so, it's probably more than that. On the secondary, second, no secondary.
Speaker 1:Either way, it'll be a lot more than Matt will bid for it. Matt will probably ask if he can get it for $200 or something he's very charitable Equal packaging. We're working on getting a double Eagle Rare Fabulous. That would be wonderful to bid on as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I want to give it all away though. We want some surprises.
Speaker 1:Sorry, there's more we're working on.
Speaker 3:I might have emailed my amictor's contact. Oh boy Celebration maybe.
Speaker 1:You going to bid on that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, you want to just buy it now. He yeah, you want to just buy it now. I mean, he hasn't security yet.
Speaker 2:Working on it. So something that we've learned from the last couple of years is this is a Thursday night. A lot of people have decided now they're going to take Friday off of work, which I think is smart. I don't think people did that the first couple of years, but it is high proof. It's really fun.
Speaker 1:It's a late night and it's all for charity. Oh, that reminds me we also typically work with Pinnacle Car Show. Shout out to Jeff Wright. Oh yeah, Jeff Wright is a good one, and typically there's a shuttle to pick people to and from.
Speaker 2:So what we did last year was the Courtyard Marriott, which is up near Bowtare River Grill area. We had two shuttles. We had a shuttle for the happy hour of the VIP pre-party and the 6.30 general admission and you could park at the hotel. You can get a hotel room if you'd like to to stay there and you don't want to drive.
Speaker 4:I would like to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then take the shuttle over, and then the shuttles are waiting to take you back to the hotel or to your car, wherever afterwards.
Speaker 1:How did you guys get back and forth last year? Did you have a designated go-ahead? I think we Ubered. Yeah, we Ubered.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so another thing to mention this is Little Flock, that's Little Rock, some people got that confused last year. So Little Flock is up north of Sam's Club in Bentonville.
Speaker 4:Did anyone go down to Little Rock Because?
Speaker 2:that would be great.
Speaker 4:But Asheville versus Nashville is all about that. That's a separate story.
Speaker 2:They did clarify with me before buying the tickets. So I'm glad that they did, but Little Flock is a small township which is known for pulling people over, so it's really best to have a ride secured before and after.
Speaker 4:Whereas Little Rock is the state capital known for Josh Safran winning state championships in tennis.
Speaker 3:Did you say known for or was known for Josh Safran winning state championships in tennis? Did you say known for or was known for? That's fair, I thought he was kind of sliding into the pickleball world, it'd be a tennis coach or something. What is our match? When's our pickleball?
Speaker 4:That's a charity also that should be our next charity event. Rob and I are ready. We've been working out.
Speaker 2:Sponsored by the ice bath.
Speaker 3:Sponsored by the ice bath.
Speaker 1:All right, you've been at five minutes. Change the water now. Just jump right into that ice bath.
Speaker 4:For those of you not aware and none of you could possibly be aware the simple fact is, Rob and I have thrown down the gauntlet and challenged Josh and Matt to a doubles match of pickleball.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and, by the way, rob said that he is much better than you and that team is gonna kick the crap out of our team. I am remember when we had the pickleball family here, what was?
Speaker 3:uh from me no matrix. Remember they were impressed with my skills.
Speaker 2:I think they're working on sponsorship and uniforms right yeah.
Speaker 3:We're ready. Jim bought a pair of the shoes, all the action shoes. Whenever you guys are ready, let's go, let's go.
Speaker 4:We're going to play shirts and skins this weekend, yeah.
Speaker 3:Matt won't be here. You're on your own. We have to play.
Speaker 1:It would be easier if you were on your own, probably we have to play during the week because for the next 12 weekends or more, matthew is going to be out of town at some sort of shindig that we haven't been invited to in Ole Miss territory it's going to be fun, though yeah, a lot of drinking yeah, we're gonna.
Speaker 2:We gotta wait till SCST football season's over right.
Speaker 3:I mean, you guys will be going there, we'll roll right into the holidays. Maeve will be down there and you guys will be going. Yeah, that's her dream for sure. Kennedy's kind of put her under her wing. And Liz is like dream, Dream for sure.
Speaker 2:Dream dream, dream, dream so what else do you want to know? This is a big event. It's a big deal.
Speaker 1:What are the charities we're donating to this year? That's a great question.
Speaker 2:Great question I'm waiting for you to ask. Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. It's one that's near and dear to our hearts. We have a lot of family and friends in town. It's one that's near and dear to our hearts. We have a lot of family and friends in town who it's actually like such a silent killer from the standpoint of it, doesn't get diagnosed until often you're in stage four because you don't know that you have it until it's at the very end. So it's very, very hard. High comorbidity.
Speaker 1:High. What Comorbidity. Just for the group in the room that doesn't know what that means.
Speaker 2:High death rate. Thank you, you got to get lower approach talking to us and then we always do a veterans charity and, as you mentioned, dave picked the PenFed Foundation. They're a great organization that support veterans. They do a lot of things for veterans getting back on their feet and into the workforce, like loan forgiveness to starting your new businesses and things like that skills for job training so really worthy.
Speaker 1:What I love about the event is when Russ and I are up doing the emceeing and everybody's laughing and joking and talking and drinking and then all of a sudden we introduce the charities to come speak and then like everybody gets quiet right and everybody pays attention to what they're having to say, and then there's typically not a dry eye in the room and everyone's like all right, now I remember why I'm here, yeah, which again I'm like can you guys give us some more space?
Speaker 3:keeping a little bit of a smaller group.
Speaker 2:Yes, and I think it's. It's awesome because we always have a recipient come. It's not just somebody from the charity speaking about the charity, it's somebody who has received services or support or benefits in some way, shape or form that speak. And I think that's really what the connection is for people to understand, like how impactful their money is and where the dollars go, versus just, you know, giving it to a charity. That's you know on paper.
Speaker 3:No, I agree, it's when you, when you can actually see and hear someone that's gotten help from one of those series, it makes it a lot different.
Speaker 4:Seeing that person.
Speaker 3:So I thought, but I thought John Williams was going to be up there this year and not you.
Speaker 2:I think John wants to come to like suss it out and see how it goes. And then he said I want to have a bigger part or a bigger role in it. But he's really excited to come and be part of the crowd and the experience.
Speaker 1:We need to slow play, Matthew. I'm not quite ready to give up the reins just yet.
Speaker 3:Look, I'm not going to give the keys to the castle here yet.
Speaker 1:I mean because then I'll be in the crowd making rebel rousing, like you guys, do I need one more year before?
Speaker 3:I think you can't side-eye us from up there when you're like, oh, walking around again, we're trying to do a tape.
Speaker 2:Speaking of walking around. You'll be more mobile this year.
Speaker 1:Yes, shout out to my knee, shout out to your knee yeah.
Speaker 3:You were on the crutches, I think people I mean because there's so many people at that event that we all know. I think it's kind of special when you're up there.
Speaker 1:I like being up there. It's special all. Right, I also like every single charity item that we're doing, Like, hey, we're going to start at $1,000. Jim, are you in, Matt, are you in? Like I can start calling out my friends to get everybody to? And typically what we probably should do this year. Jim, we may be off camera. We'll have somebody call out somebody for Matt and make Matt make the first bid. Then nobody else bids and he has to buy it.
Speaker 4:I'll tell you one thing, one thing that I think we can all agree on Josh does love spending everyone else's money, and he loves attention.
Speaker 1:It's like he loves a good party anywhere but his house, that's exactly right, but I tried to bid on Dave's custom cabinet both years and Tim Koch's. Like no matter what it is, I'm buying it, yeah.
Speaker 3:So that's his thing. Maybe we could have Dave do a third one so you could buy one this year.
Speaker 1:You going to sign him up for it?
Speaker 3:I mean if you'll buy it, if you'll say you're going to buy it.
Speaker 1:Maybe I'll have him make me a customized pickleball paddle for you and I to use for these guys, we'll really win then.
Speaker 3:It gets a little on our side. I mean, does it really matter what we use? How about I play with my hand?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean Probably give you guys. And they also said they're going to give us five or six points on top of that. Well, again, I've never said that Bobby did after his 19th pina colada, that's exactly right.
Speaker 4:I don't think you can hold that against him. I think we want to start from 0-0 and let the better team win.
Speaker 3:I mean that's fine if that is the losing team. Buys Ruth Chris that night Boom.
Speaker 2:Ooh, that's a good one there you go.
Speaker 1:Is that going to be the Thursday happy hour at the bar menu or is it going to be a full-on, Rick?
Speaker 4:Ruff, I was thinking Mayletter. Or Wednesday half-price wine night.
Speaker 1:Do you want me to autograph one of the mints too, on the way out, or?
Speaker 2:M1. Somehow I got roped into judging this event. I have to be there to look at foot faults and making sure that the rules are followed.
Speaker 1:Was there a dress code for you?
Speaker 3:Because I'll be distracted if you're looking more beautiful than you are right now. Vacation we needed Vacation, Emily. Bad afternoon oh.
Speaker 1:Vacation. Emily is a 10 out of 10. She's amazing. Yeah, all right, any last words about your amazing event that you're doing in year four.
Speaker 2:Well, all right. Any last words about your amazing event that you're doing in year four. Well, it's not my event, it's our collective event. It's just so much fun. I'm actually really looking forward to it. I've had enough rest and reprieve from last year's event that I'm like all gung-ho now and we're in the home stretch, so we're just securing last-minute bottles, last-minute auction items. You know anything? Any feedback from last year? Now's the time to get it in.
Speaker 3:Oh, I got feedback.
Speaker 2:I always have feedback, but I'm just I'm really looking forward to it and the weather is like just finally broke, so like I'm feeling fall this week and I'm like really looking forward to all the things that are that are going to happen in the fourth quarter this year.
Speaker 1:Now we should be thinking year five. It's a big year and I think we'll probably do it at Matt's house next year. No, no, no, because if you think about the size of his backyard, I mean that would be great. I mean, do we have to clear that with Kerry?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean well, let's talk about it.
Speaker 4:Let's talk about it.
Speaker 2:Kerry would say pending, pending, I'll get back to you. That's pending, I'll get back to you.
Speaker 1:That's pending. I'll get back to you. Well, we just hope Matt and Carrie are still married by then, because it sounds like there's a U-Haul issue this weekend, so he may be sleeping on our couch. That would count as hosting. By the way, yeah, that would count as hosting.
Speaker 3:See how quick you jumped on that. That's a good jump on here. What?
Speaker 2:I would say in summation. I would say that this event is at the end of the year. It's something everybody looks forward to. If you have charitable budgets whether it's business and you want to get a table, whether it's personal and you want to donate to worthy causes, this is a really great one to reserve your charitable spending for at the end of the year.
Speaker 1:And what's the date? Again, november the 6th. More for these guys because their calendars.
Speaker 2:Thursday night it's out at Mike Hodges Barn In the Beant bean town. The address is on the tickets. Um and vip starts at 5 30. General admission starts at 6 30. We typically finish our night around 10 10, 30 and then we have some stragglers into the into the wee hours that just like to. Some of them open their auction items and share some of them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, people have been known to do that and, by the way, last year we bid on a barrel from size right. This year we're bidding on two barrels.
Speaker 2:Two barrels. Two barrels. Don't say what both of them are. Two barrels this year, but you say what one of them are no, no, no, no, two barrels.
Speaker 4:Yeah, special Baiting the hook.
Speaker 1:Yeah, one may happen to be a bourbon. One may, but I can't share any more oh.
Speaker 3:Ooh Whoa and tequila's made a big comeback. Yes, it has. Like it's right there on the bourbon side.
Speaker 1:It is I mean.
Speaker 4:Corey started that trend. Shout out to Corey yeah, she did. She was on the bleeding edge.
Speaker 1:That was when she left the table that night at your house.
Speaker 2:It's really hard to find one that is your.
Speaker 1:Fortaleza.
Speaker 3:Fort. Yeah, you go all over the place to try and find it. I just got another bottle. We were in Nashville just a few weekends ago and we found a speakeasy and it was a tequila speakeasy.
Speaker 2:Oh wow, that's really cool.
Speaker 3:Pushing Daisies. I think it's called yeah, shout out to Pushing Daisies. What happened to your glasses? Oh, I forgot them.
Speaker 1:You're supposed to wear them I got to ease these guys. Oh, you haven't seen his glasses. He looks like one of the guys from Goodfellas, bobby Bacala.
Speaker 3:Bobby Bacala. I got to ease these guys into all that stuff.
Speaker 1:With the shirt open and the two gold chains and the glasses. It was like a scene at a casino, Maybe Goodfellas. It looked good, it was fun. Yes, all right, emily, we love you. I love you more than these guys do, but everybody loves you and thank you for all that you do for our charitable cause.
Speaker 2:Listen, I couldn't do it alone. It's not a me, it's a team, and I'm thankful that we have so many charitable people in this town that really care about other people.