By COOPER SLOUGH
Hays Post

Jana’s Campaign is set to host the fifth annual Empty Place at the Table banquet on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Hays VFW, 2106 Vine.

Tickets for the event are $50 each. Early reservations are encouraged due to limited seating.

This year’s event kicks off at 6 p.m. with cocktails and a live and silent auction, followed by a dinner and dancing. Live music will be provided this year by The Clearview Band.

“We view it as not just a fun evening, but also as a way to raise funding and awareness for our cause,” said Christie Brungardt, Jana’s mother and co-founder of Jana’s Campaign.

Proceeds from the event go toward the education and prevention of gender and relationship violence throughout Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska.

Jana’s Campaign is named after Jana Mackey, who tragically lost her life during a domestic dispute in 2008.

Brungardt said she continues to see the impact of Jana’s Campaign throughout Hays and the surrounding communities every year.

“One thing that I continue to notice over the years is that Jana’s message really resonates within our community,” Brungardt said. “She was just a regular Kansas girl who found herself in a bad situation, and I think that really helps drive home our message for the kids in and around our community.”

For more information or to get involved, visit the Jana’s Campaign website.