For the price of a $25 ticket, you can have the mayor of Brookhaven serve you dinner.

Mayor Joe Cox is just one of the many “celebrity” waiters who will be hustling and bustling Tuesday night to raise money for the Brookhaven Animal Rescue League.

Cox will be joining bankers, educators, veterinarians, doctors and business owners to wait tables at the 13th annual dinner and auction, which will be held at the Lincoln Civic Center beginning at 6 p.m. The event will include a a buffet dinner, a silent auction and a live auction.  Photos of some of the auction items can be found at www.barl.net.

Other waiters include Anne Houston Craig of Magnolia Blues; Dr. Bob Watson of Brookhaven Animal Hospital; Brooks Hall of Bank of Brookhaven; Carol Gary of West Lincoln Attendance Center; Chris Brady of Copiah-Lincoln Community College; Don and Sarah Underwood; Rep. Vince Mangold and Rep. Becky Currie: Dr. Ryan and Wendy Case of  Brookhaven ENT; Anne Tillman of Tillman Furniture; Jason Snider of King’s Daughters Medical Center; Susan Gabbert and Martha Jo Kent of Franklin County Memorial Hospital; attorney Shelley Harrigill; Karen Rogers and Ashley Yelverton of Loyd Star Attendance Center; Marlene Cupit of Hurst Review Services; Nancy Fisher, Rob McCreary and Randy Spring of Mamie Martin Elementary; Sonya Moore of Moore’s Vision; and Sherri Mathis and the Inez Girls. 

Local veterans will also host a table.

Advance tickets are $25 and must be pre-purchased due to limited seating.  Tickets are available by contacting BARL volunteer Julie Montalvo at 601-757-1057.

Laura Lee Lewis, Miss Mississippi 2016 and a Brookhaven native, is coming home to help raise money for the homeless animals, said BARL board member Rusty Adcock.

“Our ticket sales are going really well, however, we do still have some available and we want to sell every one,” he said.

The “celebrity” waiters — which don’t include Lewis — will be working hard to collect tips throughout the evening. All waiters will be sporting fun costumes at their theme-decorated tables, he said.

“While our celebrity waiters aren’t movie stars or famous athletes, they are celebrities in our community,” he said. “These are everyday people who may teach or own a business, but they go the extra mile by giving back and truly being a part of the community where they live.  That’s the true definition of a celebrity.”

The money raised through ticket sales and the auction help fund the rescue league.

“BARL’s yearly budget is very dependent on this event being a success,” he said.

BARL’s mission is to humanely care for shelter animals while contributing to community activities that reduce pet overpopulation, encourage responsible pet ownership, protect public health and safety, and promote the human-animal bond.

Established in 1981, BARL is a volunteer-based, limited-admission animal welfare organization serving Copiah, Franklin and Lincoln counties. The nonprofit provides food, shelter and veterinary services for abandoned, orphaned and unwanted animals. All BARL animals are dewormed, tested for disease, current on age appropriate vaccinations and spayed/neutered.  Dogs are also micro-chipped.