Dining out for Life, a good time for a good cause

Need an excuse for spending that hard earned cash on dining
out?
Here’s one: dozens of local restaurants on Dec. 2 will donate 25
or 50 percent of their sales to Food For Thought – Sonoma County
AIDS Food Bank.
The ninth Annual Dining out for Life fund-raiser simply requires
that on that day people eat at one of the 69 participating
restaurants (See accompanying list). Food For Thought asks diners
to let restaurants know they are coming for Dining Out for Life
when making their reservations.
“In one day we hope to raise over $90,000,” said Food For
Thought Executive Director Ron Karp. “Five-thousand people went out
to dinner in support of our agency last year and we had 68
restaurants participate in 2009. This year promises to be even
bigger and we’re very excited,” he said.
“It’s a great concept,” said Ralph Tingle, owner of Bistro Ralph
in Healdsburg. The fund-raiser is easy and accessible because
people don’t have to go to one venue; they can choose from many
restaurants, he said. “It makes it powerful ’cause there are so
many people involved. That one night has a lot of impact. It’s just
a win-win,” Tingle said.
Asked why she participates, Bryan Bousquet, owner of Restaurant
Mirepoix and Bistro M, both located in Windsor, said Dining out for
Life occurred on the opening night of a restaurant her husband
owned many years ago in St. Louis, Mo. “It’s been kind of a good
luck charm, as well as a good way we can really help our
community,” she said, noting they’ve participated in the event for
the last eight years at Restaurant Mirepoix and this year will
include Bistro M, which opened about 10 months ago.
The fact that the event benefits a food bank is reason enough to
participate for Debbie Shu, owner of Ume Japanese Bistro and
Chinois Asian Bistro, also located in Windsor. “That is a
philanthropy I have been involved in ever since I was in culinary
school,” she said. “Also the fact is that it drives people to dine
out more and try out new restaurants while contributing to a good
cause. We met lots of people last year that had taken the
opportunity to dine out that day.”
Tess Ostopowicz of GTO’s Seafood House in Sebastopol echoed her
sentiments. “It is a great way to support a local non-profit and
introduce new customers to your restaurant, in turn enjoying a very
busy night.”
Diners also have the chance to win prizes  – including two
Virgin America Airline tickets, a basket of Nancy Boy natural bath
body and home products, or a private VIP tour and tasting at
Rutherford Hill Winery – by entering a drawing. In addition, anyone
who donates $25 or more in their raffle envelope on Dec. 2, will
receive a “20 percent Off Tuesdays” card with their thank you note.
Each participating restaurant will offer a 20 percent discount off
the food bill to any table where a diner presents a “20% Off
Tuesdays” card on Tuesday evenings throughout 2011.
Dining Out for Life began over 20 years ago in Philadelphia as a
way of raising funds for an AIDS service organization, while
honoring the many people who worked in the food and beverage
industry that died of AIDS early in the epidemic, according to
information from Food for Thought. The program has grown and is
successful in 60 other cities in the United States and Canada.
Dining Out For Life raises more than $3 million a year for HIV/AIDS
charities, the information states.
Subaru is the event’s North American sponsor. Major sponsors of
this year’s Sonoma County event are Summit State Bank, California
Food Connections, Sonoma West Times and News, the Healdsburg
Tribune, the Windsor Times, the Press Democrat, Sonoma Index
Tribune and Virgin America.
Founded in 1988, Food For Thought is a non-profit grassroots
agency dedicated to meeting the nutritional needs of people
affected by HIV/AIDS in Sonoma County. With the help of over 600
volunteers, Food For Thought provides services to 650 people free
of charge. The agency offers weekly grocery bags of canned and
boxed goods, fresh produce, high quality protein, vitamins and
nutritional supplements, and healthy snacks, along with frozen
meals for those too ill to cook. Food For Thought also delivers
countywide to clients who are homebound or lack transportation.
Participating restaurants
Healdsburg
Barndiva
431-0100 L D
Bistro Ralph
433-1380 L D
Charlie Palmer’s
Dry Creek Kitchen
431-0330 L D
Ravenous Café & Lounge
431-1302 L D
Singletree Inn Café
433-8263 B L
Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar
433-9191 L D
Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar
473-0946 L D
Windsor
Bistro M
838-3118 L D
Chinois Asian Bistro
838-4667 L D $
Restaurant Mirepoix
838-0162 D
Ume Japanese Bistro
838-6700 L D