Dining Out for Life® has quickly become one of AIDS Community Services’ most popular annual events, and it’s easy to see why. After all, everyone enjoys sharing a delicious meal with family and friends at one of Western New York’s many fine restaurants and cafes, especially when it supports a great cause. The Dining Out for Life® concept is simple but astonishingly successful. Here’s how it works: on April 28, 2009, participating restaurants will donate a portion of each food check (usually 25%, but sometimes 50% or even 100%) to AIDS Community Services. That’s it. No tricks, no fine print, no hidden loopholes, and, best of all, no piles of dirty dishes to wash. All you have to do is show up and eat.
Response from the public over the past seven years has been phenomenal, and Dining Out for Life® has grown each year as more and more diners embrace this fun, low-impact fundraiser. Western New York restaurants have responded enthusiastically as well, seeing Dining Out for Life® as an opportunity to attract new customers while making a real difference in our community. With close to 100 restaurants already signed on to participate on April 28, there’s sure to be something on the menu to suit every palate and budget.
Volunteer Dining Out for Life® ambassadors will be stationed at each participating restaurant on April 28. Ambassadors greet patrons and explain how the event helps ACS provide essential services to the thousands of Western New Yorkers affected by HIV and AIDS. Ambassadors will also offer diners an opportunity to enter a free raffle, ask questions or make an additional contribution. This personal connection is a great way to thank patrons directly for their support and raise awareness among those who might not have previously known about the event (so that’s why the parking lot was so full on a Tuesday evening!) or about the devestating impact HIV and AIDS continue to have on our community.
ACS presents Dining Out for Life® under the umbrella of the national Dining Out for Life® organization, which was founded in Philadelphia in 1991. Dining Out for Life® events are currently held in fifty two cities throughout the United States and Canada, raising over three million dollars every year to fight AIDS. While the national Dining Out for Life® organization provides ideas, networking opportunities and marketing support, all funds raised in Western New York stay in Western New York. Locally, Dining Out for Life® is growing thanks in large part to the hard work of 2008 event Co-Chairs Michael and Marilynn Militello, who are returning to co-chair the 2009 event.
Please join the thousands of Western New Yorkers as, together, we dine out for life. You can find an updated restaurant list at http://www.diningoutforlife.com/ (we strongly recommend making reservations). Whether you choose a familiar neighborhood favorite or decide to be adventurous and try someplace new, we look forward to seeing you at the table on April 28, enjoying a great meal and helping fight AIDS at the same time. Just remember to save some room for dessert!
Photo: a delicious paella at DiGiulio & Co. on Hertel Avenue, participating in Dining Out for Life® for the second year. Special thanks to Deanna and Bill for their help with the photo shoot!
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