Tickets going fast for 8th annual Alzheimer's dinner

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Mark your calendars for January 28th as it is time for the Alzheimer’s annual fund raising meal in Rainy River.
“A Dinner to Remember” has been extremely popular the past several years with tickets completely selling out the last four years.
This is the fifth year the fund-raiser is being called The Linda Johnston Memorial Alzheimer Dinner to Remember. Linda passed away four summers ago after a battle with cancer. She was instrumental in organizing the previous Dinner’s To Remember and other Alzheimer Fund-raising events in Rainy River. This is the eighth annual dinner.
Again this year, as in years past, her family and friends have been busy organizing the event and will be working it.
Linda’s husband, Chef “Uncle” Bob Johnston, has promised that his “secret” roast beef recipe that has earned the event a reputation of excellence the past seven years, will again please everyone’s taste buds.
In addition to the roast beef dinner and all the trimmings, there will be a penny table which also sold out the last four years. Volunteer and long time event supporter Marlene McNally is busy getting all the donated items together for it. Anyone wishing to add an item can drop it off at the Rainy River Record office at 312 3rd St. during normal business hours.
Tickets for the dinner are $13 each and there are only 100 advanced tickets left and 20 reserved for shut ins (to go orders). Tickets are already selling fast, so if you are planning to attend get yours today! They are available from Marlene McNally or at the Record Office.To order a “To Go” meal call the Record at 852-3366 and put your name on the list. Long time volunteers Tom and Bonne Irvine will be delivering them that evening.
The dinner is being held in the Rainy River Legion Hall. The doors will open around 4:30 p.m. for the Penny Table. Anyone can participate in the penny table. Dinner will be served at 5 p.m. and all raffle draws will be made after supper. Last year, the event raised nearly $2,500!
In a further effort to show appreciation for Linda’s work, the Kenora-Rainy River Alzheimer Society created a bursary, for students entering the medical field to work with Alzheimer Patients, in her honour three years ago. All money donated towards the bursary goes towards it and the donations are tax deductible.
The annual Chairs for Charity raffle is back this year! For a number of years it was a raffle. But last year it was a silent auction. But feedback from those in attendance at the dinner lead the committee to return to the raffle format. There are five chairs being drawn for this year. Local artists, Vivian Locking, Patti Diebel and Linda Watson all donated their time painting the chairs. There is also a chair that keeps on giving. An Andirondack chair, custom built by Record Publisher Jim Cumming, was won by Harry Arnould two years ago. However, Arnould donated it back and it was hoped to be raffled at the annual Alz. Walk-a-thon. However, the walk-a-thon did not take place last spring. So it will be raffled again at this year’s dinner.
Everything is on track for another great dinner in Rainy River, so if you are wanting to support this great cause, get your dinner tickets now!