[KHTS] – The hottest ticket in town Friday was the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley’s 44th Annual Benefit Auction, held at the Valencia Hyatt Regency Hotel.

The sold-out auction, which attracted 350 guests, raised nearly $170,000 in the live auction and in “Heroes and High Hopes” donations.

The net proceeds of the event will not be known until silent auction, raffle ticket sales, sponsorships, Prom King and Queen votes and event costs are totaled.

“It was a very successful event, it was standing room only and everyone had a good time,” said Wayne Crawford, president of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley Foundation. “Most people really liked the format and the auction went very well.”

Bryan Lake, interim CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of SCV, with club kids who greeted arriving guests on the red carpet to the 44th Annual Benefit Auction.

Guests to the Benefit Auction enjoyed hors d’oeuvres in the garden adjacent to the Hyatt’s Grand Ballroom before dinner and the live auction as Adam Aejaye Jackson crooned to the crowd.

Nearly 200 silent auction items were up for bid on tables placed in the garden setting.

“I am so thrilled to see the Santa Clarita Valley come out and support the club,” said Ronda Chobanian, director of development of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley Foundation. “It’s an amazing night for the kids and we raised a lot of money to keep serving those who need us most.”

Ann-Marie and Mike Bjorkman served as Benefit Auction co-chairs.

“Thank you for coming,” said Ann-Marie Bjorkman, as she addressed auction guests from the stage. “This is my favorite theme, I love the big hair, the dresses, the makeup, this is awesome.”

Mike Bjorkman told guests he was a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley as a child.

“Many people don’t know that I grew up in the town with nothing, my parents were very poor,” he said. “I grew up in Saugus and attended Emblem Elementary. Every day after school I’d go to the club and I was raised to be a friend, a gentleman, a teammate and eventually a leader. It was an amazing opportunity to have such a great organization raise me to be who I am today. They had my back.”

Auction chairs Mike and Ann-Marie Bjorkman.

Bjorkman, who co-hosts the “SCV Today” show on SCVTV, is a successful real estate broker with Team Bjorkman at HomeSmart Real Estate. He said it is important to him to be able to give back to Santa Clarita Valley nonprofits.

“People ask why. I tell them I want to give back to the community that gave me a chance,” he said.

Ann-Marie Bjorkman drew the winning raffle ticket purchased by Heather Lake. The raffle tickets, which cost $100 each, allowed the winner to choose any live auction item as a prize, with the Head Table for 2016 and 14-day Hawaiian Getaway excluded.

Lake choose the “Mountasia Family Fun Center and Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Epic Party for 25.”

“My boys love it there,” she said. “We are going to throw a birthday party there at the end of July for both our boys.”

The theme for the evening was “Prom: Revisited.” Guests came attired in their best prom gowns and evening wear. The “white sport coat” was a popular choice for the men.

“There are some incredible outfits here tonight,” said Chobanian. “People are dressed for prom and having a great time.”

Rachel Chobanian and the maltipoo puppy.

In addition to the live and silent auctions, a Prom King and Queen contest was held. Votes cost $5 each and Mike Lebecki was crowned Prom King and Missy Skinner was crowned Prom Queen.

The winners of the Prom King and Queen contest were the two contestants who raised the most money for the club.

Chobanian said the duo raised more than $4,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley through their votes.

Voting for Prom King and Prom Queen was held online and also at the Benefit Auction.

“It’s good to be king,” said Lebecki. “I am happy we were able to raise more money for the club.”

Other candidates for Prom King were: Andrew Gallardo, Chris Fall, Dan Sterkel, Marshall Hahn, Gary Condie, Harold Petersen, Jim Ventress, Joshua Dubin, Ken Striplin, Mike Bjorkman, Richard Sandnes, Robert Gardner, Ruben Hayes, Tony Newhall and Wayne Crawford.

Other candidates for Prom Queen were: Alisia Humphries, Amanda Benson, Ann-Marie Bjorkman, Bonnie Rabjon, Dianne Crawford, Jacqueline Petersen, Jayne Fall, Kristin Draper, Laura Chavez, Marian Sandnes, Myrna Condie, Reena Newhall, Stacie House, Stephanie Angelo and Tami Edwards.

Bryan Lake, interim CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley, said the Heroes and High Hopes donations raised nearly $60,000, one of the highest totals reached by the fund.

“Club membership costs a child $60 a year, but the real cost is nearly $500 per child when you factor in overhead, staff and programs,” said Lake.

Heather Lake, left, won the auction raffle and chose the Mountasia party from the list of live auction items as her prize

Bidding was fast and furious for many of the 45 live auction items with the 2016 Benefit Auction Head Table selling for $9,000, a Lakers VIP package donated by the Lakers, Craig Peters and Dale Donahoe fetching $7, 250 and a private luxury suite at the Staples Center for 15 to view the Taylor Swift concert bringing in $8,000. The item was donated by Todd and Karen Stevens, CRC and 24/7 Transportation.

A 14-day Hawaiian getaway, donated by Princess Cruises, was purchased by Diane and Dave Gelles for $7,000.

“We went on our honeymoon to Hawaii,” said Dave Gelles. “It will be our 25th anniversary if we go in 2016.”

Lake said it was “great to see everyone come out for the cause.”

“Everyone loved the theme and had a good time. Everyone’s heart was in the right place,” he said.

Mark Schenfeld of Stokes Auction Group served as event auctioneer and Ed Masterson served as emcee.

Auction Committee Chairs included: Wayne Mahaffey, Jim Walsh, Cheryl Gray, Barbara C. Morris, Ruben Haynes, Patricia Teichert, The Bill White Team, Jami Kennedy, Bryan Lake, Karen and John Mahaffey, Phillip Thompson, Adele Macpherson, Judy Penman and Pat Allen .

For more information about the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley visit scvbgc.org.

Members of the Zonta Club of SCV worked the check-in table for the 44th Annual Benefit Auction for the Boys and Girls Club of SCV.