30th Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser Helps Catholic Neighborhood Center
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WHEELING -- People attending the 30th annual Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center’s 30th annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser got to eat spaghetti, homemade meatballs, sausage, bread, salad, desserts and drinks all while helping a worthy cause.
Center Director Elizabeth Workman said the dinner is the center’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The goal was to raise $20,000 and before it ever began, it had received $12,000 in sponsorships.
“The proceeds go directly to the neighborhood center. We serve many people in the community; low-income families, unhoused individuals, and the fundraiser essentially helps fund those services,” she said. “Historically, it has raised about $30,000. That’s gone down as times have gotten harder on the community.”
Workman said planning for the dinner begins each January. A committee is formed and the work begins. Leading up to the dinner, the Knights of Columbus in Wheeling makes the tomato sauce. The Knights of Columbus also cook the noodles. The staff and volunteers make the meatballs.
“We had meatball days. Volunteers and staff would come in and one day we made 2,200 meatballs and the second day we made about 1,700 meatballs,” she said. “There’s a secret meatball recipe and everything.”
This year’s committee included Workman; David Beazel, food program manager with the center; Lisa Werner; Pam Campbell; and Ray Blust.
The bread is made by Bimbo Bakeries and the desserts were donated by parishes and individuals.
“It’s really a group effort. … It really takes a village,” Workman said, noting this is her first year as director of the center. “Every year I encourage people to come in and see the neighborhood center. We’ve made a lot of changes. The goal is to make a place that everybody wants to come to and is comfortable coming to. There are more changes and more programs to come.”