Fundraising dinner to benefit soup kitchen
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on January 8, 2006 2:01 AM
Wayne County, get your tastebuds set for old-fashioned shrimp and grits and do a good deed at the same time.
The Community Soup Kitchen of Goldsboro will have a celebrity shrimp and grits fundraiser Jan. 21 at Billie's Restaurant. Proceeds will go to helping retire the Soup Kitchen's $100,000 building note. The expense was incurred when it moved from St. Stephen's Church to its new location on West Oak Street.
Billie's owner and Soup Kitchen board president Andrea Heekin has donated the restaurant for the event that night. She said there will be five seatings starting at 5:30 p.m.
Those attending have the option of choosing, on a first-come, first-served basis, the time they want to go and the type of ticket they want. There are $30 tickets and $50 tickets. With the $50 ticket, diners also receive a wine tasting with their meal of shrimp, grits, salad, dessert and coffee/tea.
"The celebrity shrimp and grits dinner fundraiser was the idea of Jerry Wayne, a DJ with 107.9 radio," said Mrs. Heekin. "He is using his own recipe and will be one of the celebrity chefs."
There will be a total of 10 celebrity chefs including Billie's own cook, Ricky Richardson. There will also be 36 celebrity waiters from Wayne County city government, colleges and banks and some from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
Sysco Foods is underwriting the food for the fundraiser, according to Mrs. Heekin, and so far there are 10 $1,000 sponsors.
"We hope to have more than 300 people attend," Mrs. Heekin said. "It has the potential of raising more than $25,000 in just one night."
She said there has not been a fundraiser like this in Goldsboro before. Anyone in the community may attend.
Tickets are available at Billie's Restaurant, the HealtHabit and any Soup Kitchen board member.