Customs House Museum celebrates Flying High 39 with disco theme | PHOTOS

Promoted as the grooviest party in town, Customs House Museum & Cultural Center's Flying High 39 featured a 70's theme of music and fashion.

By Lee Erwin August 20, 2023 1:13 pm

Clarksville NowJoan & Ernie Dewald at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

OAK GROVE, KY (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – For its 39th year, the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center hosted their premier fundraising gala, Flying High, on Saturday with close to 400 museum supporters coming together at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.

The event, which featured a ’70s theme and was promoted as the grooviest party in town, included dinner, dancing, and silent auction and live auctions.

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Eric & Erin Yow at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Ryan Ploeckelman & Gretchen Cordy at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Rhonda & Kevin Kennedy at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Mike & Cheryl Lankford at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Thomasa Ross at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Joan & Ernie Dewald at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Stephanie & Jeff Morlock at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Kris & Charlie Foust at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Bill & Cindy Summers at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Ryan Ploeckelman at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Thomasa Ross & Frank Lott at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Jimmy Terry Jr. at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Jim & Mary Durrett at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Gracey Award recipient Sue Lewis at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center Flying High 39 fundraiser at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Aug. 19, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

“Flying High 39 just set the tone for the rest of the year for us,” said Frank Lott, executive director of the museum. “It was an exciting evening to get together with all of our fabulous museum supporters. We raised a lot of money, and it all goes to a great cause to keep the museum performing at a very high level, and I’m thankful to the community,” Lott said.

Proceeds from the event support the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center, which is dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting the story of Clarksville-Montgomery County. The nonprofit organization uses the funds to care for the artifacts in their collection, produce award-winning exhibits and provide educational programming for citizens of all ages.

One of the top honors presented Saturday at Flying High was the Gracey Award, which has been presented annually since 1992. The award is given to an individual, or individuals, for their distinguished service to the museum.

This year’s Gracey Award recipient was Sue Lewis. Lewis has been with the museum since 1989 and held the title of Curator of Education for the museum since 1993 until her recent retirement.

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