Play It Forward

Totally Excellent!
April 11, 2018
Water access bill moves forward
April 11, 2018
Totally Excellent!
April 11, 2018
Water access bill moves forward
April 11, 2018

This Friday at 6 p.m., the Bayou Country Children’s Museum will host the 9th Annual Play It Forward Casino Night & Auction—an entertaining night of “funny money” gambling, food, live music, and auctions that benefit the museum. 

A ticket for the event, which is $50 in advance and $65 at the door, gets an attendee $200 in “funny money” to play casino games, such as roulette, poker, craps, etc. Rebuys will also be sold at the throughout the night for those who aren’t so lucky at the games. There will be first, second, and third place awards for the players that collected the most money by the end of the night. 

The fundraiser will also provide live music by musician, Harley Talbot, transportation from the event with Busy Bee Transportation, a full bar, a photo booth, and food catered by local restaurants. 


There will be a variety of items sold at the silent and live auctions. Every year, Play It Forward adds a unique take to their auctions. This year, there will be three designer purses and ice chests to bid for at the live auction. In one of the purses there will be a piece of jewelry worth around $400. For the winner of one of the ice chests, there will be a $500 gift card to Rouses.

“We try to do something different to keep things interesting and keep the people attending,” says Kassie Barrancotto, committee co-chair of Play It Forward. 

Other items to be auctioned off include fishing trips, shotguns, and a Blue Dog painting. 


Not only is Play It Forward full of fun and entertainment, but it’s also for a great cause. All of the money raised from the night goes back to the Bayou Country Children’s Museum. It helps pay for new exhibits, educational programs, upkeep, operating costs etc. 

“What we have come to realize is that people think, ‘The museum is built so they are in good shape and they don’t need our help,’” Kassie says, “What they don’t understand is that memberships alone doesn’t spin the museum. All of this fundraising goes directly back into the museum.”

Play It Forward has been the staple for the fundraising a couple of years before the museum was actually built. The casino night raised the most money in its first year, before the museum was open. When the museum’s structure was up, the committee decided to move the event into the empty shell of the museum, where they also witnessed huge success. 


“We’ve tried to partner with different event venues in the community of Houma-Thibodaux and last year we decided to bring it back the museum,” Kassie says, “It was super successful and people loved it there.”

This year’s fundraiser has to garnish that same success, as the children’s museum continues to upgrade. The museum, which serves an eight-parish area, will open a first responder exhibit before the summer. It also has a new South Louisiana Bank and Synergy Bank Exhibit coming, as well as changes to older exhibits. 

Tickets for this year’s casino night can be purchased at http://www.bayoucountrychildrensmuseum.org or at the museum. Outside of the event, people can donate directly to the museum at the website, purchase items on it, or buy membership packages to help continue the funding for this museum, that serves and educates so many in the community. 


“We are the only children’s museum that focuses on our Cajun culture and the bayou,” Kassie says, “We are so lucky to have that resource and asset in South Louisiana.”

Play It Forward