Approximately 250 people attended Friday night's Green Getaway - Keep Covington/Newton Beautiful's second fundraiser for educational programs and beautification projects.

Local bard Andy Irwin took a break from his national storytelling tour to provide the night's entertainment.

Irwin slightly altered some of his original audience favorites such as the children's song "Crickets in the Kudzu" to have an environmental flare for the many recycling and conservation fanatics attending.

In the midst of the laughs he delivered an important message - a healthy planet depends on everyone doing their part.

"Here's the trick," Irwin said. "If everybody takes care of their personal environment and their local environment then everything will be okay."

While Irwin performed, audience members enjoyed a picnic supper catered by Plain Nuts. Dinner included southern fried chicken, pimento cheese sandwiches, Irene's Georgia caviar, roasted corn salad, bean and potato salad, Monna's spiced peaches, mini muffins and biscuits with mountain apple butter and pecan gourmet bites for dessert.

The silent auction lasted until the conclusion of the evening and after dinner the live auction with auctioneer Dale Evans began.

The most popular auction items of the evening were a personal visit from Santa donated by Copy Central in Conyers, a mountain getaway donated by Jonathan and Sallie Pascal and a half-day Burnt Pine quail hunt courtesy of Burnt Pine Plantation.

The live-auction alone raised almost $7,000 and along with the money raised through the sale of $50 tickets to the event as well as the numerous silent auction items and private donations, KCNB exceeded their fundraising goal of $20,000.

Money raised will fund programs and projects such as a new Seymore Green puppet show as well as a sign and landscaping at exit 90 of Interstate 20.