Helping Neighbors
EVENT TO BRING NONPROFITS, BUSINESSES TOGETHER FOR COMMON CAUSES
Gary Duke plans to turn out 15 steaks every nine minutes. He has the operation streamlined.
“We call them Texas Jack ribeye steaks,” he said. “An old man in Texas taught me the marinade.”
Steaks grilled to perfection, which Duke says can be cut with a plastic fork, will be a major attraction at the Help Your Neighbor Fundraiser Dinner set for March 21.
Duke serves as the event coordinator for River Ranch Resort in Noel, which is hosting the alreadysold-out event.
Though some are lured by a great 16-ounce steak dinner, the main item on the menu is networking.
Approximately 15 businesses and almost a dozen nonprofit organizations have signed up for the event. All 106 seats have been reserved.
“We’ve had an overwhelming response,” he said. “We sold out in less than a week.”
The effort will bring together business people and nonprofit organizations to network.
During the dinner, every nonprofit representative will have the opportunity to speak about his or her mission for three to five minutes.
All attendees will receive an information bag that will highlight information about every business and organization represented.
The event will showcase how nonprofits benefit the county. The networking opportunity also will facilitate nonprofits and businesses partnering in future endeavors.
Every nonprofit that attends will have a chance to win $1,000. Every business will have the chance to win a 12-gauge pump shotgun.
Duke, who came on board last year, was hired by his son-in-law, Dustin Shurback, who owns the resort.
The new event coordinator brainstormed creative ways to bring people in during the off-season while helping others.
“We want to utilize our event center, our property, to benefit the community,” Duke said.
Chicken would be much easier to serve, Duke admits. Kicking out just-perfect steaks every nine minutes and serving in a timely fashion keeps him limited on the
number of attendees.
But it’s a special touch for this inaugural event. Offering a delicious meal — in addition to the chance to network — is part of a successful recipe, Duke believes.
For Danea Key, the event will bring to light some common missions.
“We hope that, in light of all the local businesses that come together for this great cause, we not only find great worth with each other but also have the ability to make a deeper impact on our fellow community business leaders,” said Key, who founded Saber Life Foundation, a local nonprofit
“It takes a village, with members of both the private sector and NGOs, to create sustainable change for the people in need. As part of our mission at Saber Life Foundation, we want to educate our business members about the disability community, as so often it is underlooked how important this segment of our population is,” she said.
Based on the community’s response, Duke plans to host a second such event in November as people prepare for making end-of-the-year contributions.