Joanne Winer
QUARTZSITE TIMES
December 3rd, 2004
Lots of fun and great food were enjoyed at the annual benefit dinner for Celia’s Rainbow Gardens
“We served over 250 meals last year and considered it a success then, but this year really surprised us with over 450 meals served,” Winer said. “We didn’t expect so many more to come out this year but we managed to get them all fed.”
The spaghetti dinner is the major fund-raiser for the Gardens and the money raised this year will be used to get the Heroes area worked on and hopefully done over this winter. The area has been set aside to honor those men and women who risk their lives every day to benefit others.
The dinner was supposed to start at 5 p.m., but people were already lining up at 4:30 so they opened the doors at 4:45 and the rush was on.
People were lined up as far back as Solar City at one time, but the lines kept going smoothly and the food was served quickly by the volunteers.
“I could not have been doing this dinner for so many years without the help of the volunteers who come back every year and help,” Winer said. “We now have it down to a science and it runs very smoothly for the most part, we just didn’t expect so many to come at once this year, and there were a few glitches, but we managed to do it again thanks to my great help.”
Jerry Mullins and his band entertained for most of the evening, with Stillwater band joining in later in the evening. These two bands have been part of the entertainment for the spaghetti dinner and the party in the park in March for the past several years. They have given their time to help with these events, and have made it a great time for everyone who comes.
Special thanks go to the General Store and Snyder’s Discount Groceries, who came to the rescue when the food started to run out and had to be replenished at the last minute.
“A very special thank you to all the volunteers who helped with the dinner, the bands and Helen and Earl and the Senior Citizens Center for setting up the rooms and helping get things organized so that this event runs so well,” Winer said.
“And of course, a big thank you to everyone who came out and joined in the fun,
your support is greatly appreciated.”