Sterling Community Center plans river-themed gala, dinner and auction on May 30

The after-school program, lending library and youth job-help effort at Sterling Community Center are among the local services that stand behind the center’s annual dinner and auction gala. The nonprofit will host the fundraiser Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 6 p.m., with a river theme, Life is Better on the River, and tickets listed at $65.

The evening will feature a prime rib dinner with all the trimmings, a silent and live auction, a no-host bar and live music. Ticket holders are told their admission will be held for pickup in will call at the event, making the gala both a formal dinner and a full evening program for supporters of the center.

Sterling Community Center says it was formed to bring together people interested in the welfare and improvement of Sterling and to promote the educational, social, charitable and civic interests of the area. Its public address is 38377 Swanson River Rd., Sterling, AK 99672, and the center lists a phone number of 907-262-7224 for people seeking information or support.

The center’s current programming stretches beyond special events. Its website lists community volleyball, an after-school program, a lending library, facility rentals and Sterling Brotherhood, a youth job-help program. That mix shows why the gala matters beyond a single night out: the fundraiser supports an institution that stays active in daily community life.

The annual dinner-and-auction format is not new for the center. A 2025 gala page shows the organization has used the same broad model before, pairing prime rib, live and silent auctions and entertainment as a way to bring supporters together. The center’s business-support page says about 350 active businesses operate in Sterling, and its site says many local businesses have contributed to the project.

For the center, the May 30 gala is part fundraiser, part civic gathering and part local showcase. With a $65 ticket, a full dinner and auction items on the block, the evening is built to raise money while keeping the center visible as a year-round hub for Sterling’s families, volunteers and local institutions.