By Emily Jaycox For the Independent
If you love pasta and have discerning taste buds, the Erskine Independent Order of Odd Fellow’s (IOOF’s) annual all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner is where you’ll want to be Saturday, March 23 (corrected) to benefit a local family who lost their home to fire.
The lodge will hold its seventh annual fundraising dinner at the Erskine IOOF hall from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The event is open to the public and all are welcome.
“Come on out and enjoy a good spaghetti dinner and say hi to your neighbours,” said Scott Kruk, lodge secretary.
This isn’t your momma’s canned-sauce-and-noodles spaghetti.
The Erskine club’s popular homemade sauce includes about 40 pounds of hamburger, plenty of onions, celery and mushrooms and spices, leaving little room for tomatoes.
For the last couple of years, the cook has even added in some sauerkraut and weiners and it was well-received, says Kruk.
“They ate it up.”
Diners are also treated to caesar salad, garlic toast and a dessert.
So far, the IOOF hasn’t offered a gluten-free option as there hasn’t been much demand, says Kruk.
The dinner is a drop-in, come-and-go format, to accommodate the most diners.
Older folks tend to come out earlier and sometimes farmers form the later crowd, says Kruk.
Attendance averages about 130 to 150 people and the event usually raises about $750, according to Kruk.
This year, funds raised will go to the Richard and Bonita Givens of Erskine, who lost their home to fire in January.
“We made a decision as a group to give it to them,” he said.
“Hopefully we can raise some helpful funds for the Givens and help them out from our little corner of the world.”
Ages 11 and up are $10 and children 10 and under are $6 at the door.
The Erskine IOOF currently has about 15 members.
IOOF members must be at least 16-years-old and can be male or female.