Annual Strimbu Memorial BBQ planned

Staff report

BROOKFIELD

The 27th annual Strimbu Memorial BBQ is planned for May 4 at Yankee Lake Ballroom, 1814 state Route 7 NE. The event is part of a fundraising effort for the Strimbu Memorial Fund and is sponsored by First National Bank.

The Strimbu Memorial Fund has provided approximately $3 million in support of academic scholarships, local economic development and numerous charitable organizations since its creation in 1990. At last year’s event, $38,500 in scholarships was awarded to local high-school students, and this past December, the memorial fund awarded nearly $130,000 in grants to area organizations and individuals.

This year, the fund will award leadership college scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each to qualified high-school seniors in 14 local school districts with an additional $10,000 scholarship awarded to the overall leader.

Two special scholarships also will be awarded this year: A one-time John D. Holliday Scholarship for $5,000 to a Youngstown State University business student; and a one-time vocational school scholarship of $5,000 in memory of Jacob R. French to a student at either Badger or Brookfield high schools.

Doors will open at 5 p.m., and the food, catered by Jeffrey Chrystal Catering, will be reminiscent of a full-scale Texas barbecue featuring appetizers, blackened catfish, barbecued ribs, cherry-wood fired chicken, smoked turkey breast, pork loin and more.

Dinner will be served until 9 p.m., and from 9:30 to 11, there will be a late-night offering of wood-fired pizza.

Country rock star Chris Higbee will once again provide entertainment, and there also will be silent and live auctions of a variety of items.

Tickets are $90 and are available online at www.strimbumemorialfund.org or by calling Pam at 330-448-4046, ext. 134.

The Strimbu Memorial Fund was created to perpetuate the work of the late Nick Strimbu Jr., who had a passion for leading individuals and economic-development agencies in order to attract, assist and retain the industrial base of the Valley.