The Red Deer Royals will benefit from a charity luncheon that will be held later this spring.
The Mac & Cheese Charity Luncheon, hosted by the Rotary Clubs of Red Deer, will take place June 5th at The Sheraton Red Deer.
The first Mac & Cheese Charity Luncheon was held in 2009 and proceeds from the event benefited the Red Deer and District Food Bank. About $125,000 was raised.
Jim McPherson, co-chair of the event, announced the luncheon at a press conference on Monday and said this year’s goal is to raise $100,000.
“The Red Deer Royals have a long history as being such outstanding ambassadors for Red Deer. There are hundreds upon hundreds of young men and women in this community, in this province and throughout Canada who have developed huge leadership and motivation skills because of their engagement with the Red Deer Royals,” said McPherson. “The Red Deer Royals are worthy and they mean a lot to Red Deer. They have done an awful lot for the youth in Red Deer.”
Battalion Commander Richard “Pitch” Picciotto is the keynote speaker at the event. He was the highest-ranking firefighter to survive the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Picciotto was in a stairwell in the North Tower when it collapsed. He was buried in the rubble for more than four hours before being rescued.
He has written a book about the tragedy entitled Last Man Down: A Firefighter’s Story of Survival and Escape from the World Trade Center.
The money raised from the luncheon will go to help The Red Deer Royals purchase new concert uniforms, instruments and for The Red Deer Royals Find a Home Campaign.
The Campaign will aim to raise $1 million to help the Royals find a permanent home. They are looking for a space about the size of a field-house to practice marches.
In addition, McPherson said there is a reason why the community hasn’t seen a Mac & Cheese Charity Luncheon since the first one which was held four years ago.
“The Rotary Clubs of Red Deer and our committee have decided that this is not designed to be an annual event. It is a needs-based event. When we identify a really important community need then we get active and we start up again.”
Tickets for the Mac & Cheese Charity Luncheon are $125 per person. Tables can be purchased for $1,000.
To purchase tickets call the Black Knight Ticket Centre at 403-755-6626 or visit www.blackknightinn.ca.
efawcett@reddeerexpress.com
