The annual Dwight Turner Memorial Spaghetti Dinner will be held March 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Commission on Aging, 1179 S. Elm St. in Washington Court House.
The dinner serves as a fundraiser for the Fayette County Special Olympics program: The Fayette County Dragons. Tim Stewart said, “This [fundraiser] helps pay for uniforms, tournament expenses and food.” According to Stewart and the Fayette DD Website, the program contains unified teams for both school-age and adult citizens in bowling, track, softball, flag football, basketball and cheerleading.
Lori Moore, the daughter of Dwight Turner, said the spaghetti dinner used to be called “Annual Spaghetti dinner,” but was changed by the Fayette Progressive Industries board in 2012 to honor her father.
Dwight Turner, according to Moore, was born and raised in Fayette County. He went to Ohio Northern University, then came back to Fayette to work as a pharmacist. Turner was working at Kroger Pharmacy in 2011, the same year he passed away from a massive heart attack. Turner had served on the board prior to his death.
Moore said, “He was very passionate about Special Olympics[…]; he was very giving, and he always wanted to help out anyway he could.”
During the dinner, spaghetti, salad, breadsticks, a drink and a dessert will be served. Both dine-in and carry-out are options. There will be raffles with winners chosen at the conclusion of the event, and throughout the evening, silent auctions will occur.
According to Moore, there have been several donations that help them greatly, but they are always open to more donations. They will be making place-mats that guests can take home if they choose. These place-mats will include mentions of every business that donated to the fundraiser.
They will take a variety of donations that include desserts, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles, drinks, disposable plates, disposable utensils, items to raffle, items to auction, gift certificates and monetary donations. Upon request, they can provide proof of donation for tax purposes. A donation they received was table centerpieces that can be raffled off at the end of the event. Anyone who donates will receive one auction voucher for the event: only one voucher per person.
Volunteers are needed and welcomed for a variety of posts, including volunteers to sell tickets. Tickets bought ahead of the event are $6. Tickets bought at the door will be $7. Tickets for children 10 and under are $3. They are offering a Keto version of the meal; these tickets must be bought before the event (not at the door) and are $6.
According to Moore, approximately 250 tickets were sold last year. She said they hope to beat that number this year. Tickets can be bought at The Starting Gate or the Fayette County Board of DD. Starting Gate is located at 1351 Leesburg Ave., and the Fayette County DD is located at 1330 Robinson Road. Cash or check are the only payment options available.
Stewart said, “Without the fundraisers like this, we would not be able to have the program that we do.” He explained further, “We do not receive any money from the state. So, everything we raise locally is how we operate”
Questions, donations or volunteer inquiries can be called into 740-335-1391: ask for Tim or Betty.
Reach Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355 or on Twitter @kenanipel
