They're saying "Goodnight to Burr" this year. One of the area's most popular ladies' nights out will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2012, and organizers are saying it may be the last one. "After 20 years of fundraising, it's a good time, to even try something else," said Laurel Merkosky, one of the members of the Burr Ladies' Night Out organizing committee. "We just don't know what that something else is." Burr Ladies' Night Out, usually held annually in February, has become famous in the area for its themes. Most of those attending don costumes that fit with the theme, and go expecting to have a good time. "Burr has a good reputation," said Laurieanne Smit, another member of the organizing committee. "People know Burr. It's just a good party location.""You're nobody if you haven't been to Burr and partied," Merkosky laughed. Burr Ladies' Night Out offers a meal (also set to the theme), a silent auction, games, entertainment, and the night usually ends with dancing. "We offer a lot for the price of a ticket," Smit believes. There's not a lot of time to sit around, Smit noted, between eating, dancing, and checking things out in the silent auction.With the theme of "Goodnight to Burr," this year, it's likely many of the ladies in attendance will be wearing pyjamas as they dance, eat and bid. "We're seeing it as a pyjama party," said Merkosky, "but it's however you want to say good night to Burr."Much of how the theme will be applied is still being developed, and silent auction and door prizes are still being collected. The date has been chosen - February 11 - and the theme, but that's about all that's ready to announce right now. One thing they are hoping to incorporate are decorations from each of the previous 19 Burr Ladies' Nights Out, put on display around the room. Their first ladies' night had the theme "To Burr, With Love," and it was a more formal, black and white fancy dress affair. That was in 1994. They had two ladies' nights in one year, Merkosky explained - that's how they got to 20 in 19 years. In the years since their first ladies' night, Burr has seen themes like "Burr-rock" (a Flintstones theme)," Burrstock (a Woodstock theme), Oscar Night in Burrbank, Burrbon Street (a Mardi Gras theme), 1,001 Burrhara Nights, and Pirates of the Burribean, just to name a few. Most women - about 90 per cent - do dress up to attend the ladies' night, it was noted. "But if you don't, that's fine. You're still part of the party," Smit said. The result of these successful ladies' nights can be seen all around the Burr Hall. The kitchen has been given a facelift, there's a new roof, new flooring, new toilets and sinks, and a new septic system, to name just a few of the improvements.That's why the Ladies' Night was started, after all. "The hall needed help," said Smit. "So they came up with the idea for a ladies' night."February was chosen as the ideal time to give women a pick-me-up over the winter.The ladies' night was meant to give them "a spark of energy and fun," Merkosky said. And it has seemed to. "I think a lot of women just love to go out without their husbands and just be free," Merkosky said of the pull of Burr. The organizing committee for Burr Ladies' Night Out has changed almost as much as the hall has over the years. Of the original 10 members, just Merkosky and Marie Saretsky remain. "It's changed hands. Some have left, new ones have joined," Merkosky noted. "It's nice to see the young ones coming into this and helping."The committee has also expanded to about 14 people, to try and lessen the workload on each member. It is a lot of work to put on this event, Merkosky admitted. But the enthusiasm for their event is obviously still there.Tickets for this year's Burr Ladies' Night Out will be on sale before Christmas.
