ITALIAN:

of dollars have been poured directly back into the community.

“The event was started after the 1986 flood happened,” he said. “The club realized there was a great need for the community, so we started the fundraiser to focus our help on local children’s needs.”

Nicoletti said the dinner was close to selling out. Through ticket sales, bar sales raffles and a silent auction, the club’s goal was to raise between $35,000 and $40,000.

“Tonight’s proceeds will be spread across 12 different campuses in the area, and will also help fund our annual Fishing Derby, which is May 20,” Nicoletti said.

Jerry Sokoloski, who has been a member of the Kiwanis Club for more than 18 years, said proceeds help buy things like backpacks and sleeping bags, and go toward providing local scholarships.

The club also hosts an annual Hogs and Hulas event to help with its fundraising efforts. Proceeds from the events help Marysville High School provide its students in need with a clothing bank, as well as a variety of other programs that encourage students to do well in school, among other things.

“I think we were able to raise and give back more than $50,000 last year,” Sokoloski said. “We’d like to do the same thing this year, if not more. Every dime we raise goes back to the community in some form or another.”

Recology Yuba-Sutter helped put on the event. While Kiwanis members cooked the meat, Recology employees were busy whipping up fresh pasta and three different types of sauces.

Recology employee Ron Gates said he has been cooking at the event for more than 20 years. Gates spent the hours leading up to the fundraiser preparing the Italian dishes with his colleagues.

“This is an important event for the community because it helps a bunch of kids in the area, so its just a great community event to be part of,” Gates said.

Kelly Purdom, who has been with the Kiwanis Club for more than 30 years, said throughout his many years of helping with the event, seeing how it impacts the kids never gets old.

“It’s so much fun to see how it all goes back to the kids,” Purdom said. “When you see that happen, you realize why we do this every year.”

To learn more about the Marysville Kiwanis Club and local projects it is involved with, visit www.marysvillekiwanis.w ebs.com.

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