Many people are avid fans of Taylor Swift and her music. The charitable and politically active sides of her life and business are also incredibly impressive. I inadvertently became a fan after winning certain “collectibles” while attending a scholarship fundraising dinner and auction hosted by the Rotary Club of Gallup, New Mexico, on April 24, 2025. The dinner was an exceptional event for small town New Mexico, with over 500 people attending (at $250 a ticket!). The local Rotary Club conducted silent auctions for an enormous variety of NFL gear and memorabilia and held raffles for several NFL-great autographed jerseys, including one from Travis Kelce (KC Chiefs). That winner was promised an additional “something special.” At $20 per ticket, how could one go wrong? Hubby and I bought a couple tickets.
After a truly terrific Rotary- hosted dinner, Coach Marshall Faulk spoke to the attentive audience about his life and career, including motivational and touching stories about his life experiences and many of the NFL greats he’s known. Once the Coach’s presentation ended, he assisted the Gallup Club to auction a personally hosted (by Coach Faulk) weekend football game at Colorado State University. Two very generous bidders won!
The last events of the evening were the raffles. Astoundingly, the first name drawn was mine, for the framed, autographed and authenticated Travis Kelce jersey. That something special promised? A framed autographed and authenticated photo and Taylor Swift album from her Tortured Poets tour. An extra “listening” copy of the album was included so the winner could preserve the integrity of the autographed version. I have the feeling that the amount raised through the Kelce jersey raffle was not inconsiderable. That fundraising vibe will continue when the Kelce jersey and the Swift memorabilia are auctioned again — this time to benefit food-insecure children in Cibola County!
On June 6, 2025, the Rotary Club of Grants and Milan, NM, in partnership with the Ty Detmer Charitable Foundation, will hold its annual “Backpacks for Children” fundraising event, which helps feed food-insecure children in Cibola County, NM. The event will be kicked off earlier that week by celebrity-led sports and motivational camps for area children and teens, followed by the annual “Backpacks for Children” charitable cocktail party; a 50:50 hole-inone million dollar golf shoot; live and silent auctions; and a celebrity-studded golf tournament. The “Backpacks for Children” cocktail party, the 50:50 million dollar golf shoot-out, and multiple benefit auctions will take place at the Coyote del Malpais Golf Course in Grants, NM on June 6, 2025. The event will close with the celebrity golf tournament on Saturday, June 7, 2025.
Winning that raffle for the Kelce jersey was kind of a swift kick in the derriere because I realized that this was a terrific opportunity to raise funds to feed Cibola County kids!
So that’s how this music lover became a Swiftie. How can one not love people who work to benefit the world — people like Taylor Swift, people like Travis Kelce. If you want to bid on the Kelce/Swift set, check the Grants-Milan Rotary Club Facebook page for instructions. All proceeds from this Kelce/Swift collection will benefit the “Backpacks for Children” food program.
Editor’s Note: Mila Allen is a member and past president of the Grants-Milan Rotary Club.