By Adam Dodson | The Selma Times-Journal

The Selma Charity League has planned its 2018 signature charity event for Feb. 17. Titled “Rolling on the River,” the league will host a casino night, with all money raised going to benefit the Selma Police Department. Selma’s ArtsRevive will host the event, beginning at 6 p.m.

The benefit will feature games put on by Big Eastern Casino Company, an Atlanta-based organization. Games featured at Rolling on the River will be blackjack, roulette, poker and craps.

Since they were established in 1931, each year, the all-women charity league picks an organization or department in the community they wish to impact, aside from the monthly contributions they make. This year they chose the police department.

“We feel choosing the police department is a great way to show support of our city,” president of Selma Charity League Anne Wilkinson said. “We need to show one of the most important group of people for keeping the city together that they have our support.”

According to Rebecca Taylor, coordinator of signature events, their goal is to raise around $5,000 for the Selma Police Department. She also added that they exceeded the funding goal from the previous year’s signature event

In order to muster up the funds, the charity league brought back the previously-used casino-themed event and twisted it with some fresh ideas.

This includes the table challenge. Each team that participates in the table challenge must pay an entry fee of $300. After entering, the teams will receive a round  white table cloth that they use to decorate for the competition. The team with the best-decorated table wins $600.

After acquiring sponsors for the event, tickets are now sold out. The casino night will be able to fill 250 people.

Other events planned by the Selma Charity League include their November food bank, trivia tournaments, charity breakfasts, dance recitals and golf tournaments.

The signature event usually takes place in the spring, but they decided to push up the time this year due to the amount of events already scheduled for the fall.