Annual Strimbu barbecue to feature Camaro raffle

Photo

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR Those involved in organizing the 25th annual Strimbu Memorial Banquet are, from left, Jim Grasso, vice president of the Strimbu Memorial Fund Board and chairman of the car raffle; Paul O’Brien, president of the board; Thom Kwolek, new car manager at Mel Grata Chevrolet; Bill Strimbu, secretary of the board; and John Holliday, ticket chairman.

Staff report

YANKEE LAKE

Organizers of the 25th Annual Strimbu Barbecue have scheduled it for May 7 at the Yankee Lake Ballroom, 1814 state Route 7, as a fundraiser for the Strimbu Memorial Fund. The doors will open at 5 p.m.

The barbecue will feature silent and live auctions with many unusual items such as utility vehicles, travel packages, Lake Erie walleye fishing trips, sporting event tickets and loges and assorted jewelry items and more. Tickets for the barbecue are $90; call John Holliday at 724-699-8869 to buy.

In recognition of the barbecue’s 25th year, a 2014 Camaro SS will be raffled off. The muscle car, painted in “Red Hot,” comes with a sunroof, black leather SS interior, a 6.2 L V8 engine and 20-inch aluminum wheels among other features. The sticker price is nearly $43,000.

Money raised by the raffle, which Flynn’s Tire & Auto Service is sponsoring, will help with the work of the late Tom and Nick Strimbu Jr. To buy tickets for the car raffle, visit www.WinACamaroSS.com or buy from Strimbu Memorial Fund board members. Ticket prices are one for $20, three for $50 or eight for $100. The winning ticket will be drawn May 7. Raffle rules can also be found on the website.

Last year the barbecue sold out with a crowd of 1,600 and netted more than $150,000 in proceeds.

Also this year, because of the 25th anniversary, the amounts of college scholarships have increased. There will be 12 $2,500 college scholarships and one $25,000 scholarship to the overall winner for a total of $55,000 awarded to local high school students.

The barbecue features food like a full-scale Texas barbecue does, with a multitude of appetizers, plus beef, turkey, duck, pig, ox, fish and lamb served right from the spit. Country rock star Chris Higbee will entertain.

The barbecue also is known for the giveaway of a bag of Vidalia onions to all those who attend.