Spring Forward Charitably

Celebrate Day Light savings time with the Valparaiso Elks Saturday March 13th at the 20th Annual Wild Game Feast & Fundraiser.elks Join an evening of unique cuisine, silent auction and music beginning at 5:00pm benefiting children and charities. “Every year this event grows so much so last year we served over 400 people,” expressed Steve Krutz, Co-Chairman “Thanks in part to the families who are benefiting from the funds raised, they really appreciate the friends, family and strangers who come out to support them and the Elks charities by sharing a meal, bidding on the many great silent auction items and enjoying music.” Tickets for the fundraiser are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

The ever changing buffet and silent auction open at 5 and runs until 8. The buffet features over thirty different dishes. A wonderfully tantalizing opportunity to try many unique entrees during the night, “a lesson to those coming for the first time would be to take small samplings or you will never get through all the dishes” Chef Larry Hoyt explains “Our menu dishes may include venison, duck, turkey, different fish and of course this year in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, corned beef and cabbage”. Local hunters, fishermen, along with domestic restaurants and shops donate food and staples to the event to maximize the amount of money being generated for the Elks Charities and the two families benefiting this year.

The Elks support our local students through scholarships and a hoop-shoot open to all students in Porter County, also we support cancer research at Purdue and Indiana Universities and our American Veterans. Two families were chosen to be recipients of a portion of the funds raised because of financial hard ships to the families due to a child’s medical bills. Max McLinn, the 12 year old son of Mike and Brigid (Bartelmo) McLinn was diagnosed last year at age 12 with a rare and untreatable form of Muscular Dystrophy. Austin Surber, the first-born son of ___ was born at 26 weeks and has been in Neo-Natal ICU since.

The silent auction offers chances to bid on custom crafted jewelry, sports items, VHS and CHS logo items, 4 Corporate White Sox/Yankees Tickets, gift baskets and gift certificates and much much more. Also, thanks to the generosity of the Lowe Company, through Nancy Bartelmo, the donation of a 14’ Jon Boat will be raffled off along with a Mr. T’s counter top oven as seen on TV donated by Paul and Jan Sutton. Tickets for the raffle are $5 each or 5 for $20.

Purchase tickets either or both early by calling the Elks at 157 Jefferson Street, in downtown Valparaiso, (219) 462-5421.