Dinner dance hits fourth year
Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune More than 500 people attended last year’s Madera Athletics Dinner Dance at Madera Glass and Body Shop. Organizers are hoping for more than 600 people in the fourth year.
In what has become a traditional fund raiser, Madera Glass and Body Shop will host the fourth annual High School Athletics Dinner/Dance fundraiser on Sept. 22.
The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. at Madera Glass and Body Shop, 105 E. Central Ave. and will feature meat from Chase’s Chop Shop with a catered dinner.
“I have a guy that is a caterer that cooks for me,” Madera Glass and Body shop owner Aaron Pipes said. “He caters all of my events.”
For Pipes, this marks the fourth year of the dinner dance and it has grown since the first one.
“We want to do it for the community,” he said. “It’s definitely a promotion. it’s a promotion we can do that can help out the kids. It helps somebody out. That’s what’s most important to us, especially helping out the athletes.”
This year, nine different sports programs will be the focus — football, cross country, track, gymnastics, cheer, golf, tennis, water polo and swimming.
“All of the sports gets to bring something,” he said. “We had 550 people last year and we raised a lot of money.”
Unlike previous years when the dinner/dance was held in October, organizer Megan Lennemann had to move this year’s event because of conflicting events.
“We tried to work it around local football schedules, Fresno State and other traditions people have so we moved it up,” she said. “October is a busy month.”
Those nine teams are currently selling tickets to the event, which are priced at $30. Those teams receive funds from the ticket sales.
“All of he sports get to bring something,” Pipes said.
There will also be a live, silent and dessert auction, in additon to a dee jay. Athletic teams from Madera and Madera South can submit items for the auction and they will receive the proceeds.
Lennemann hopes to have more than 600 people at this year’s event.
“We like to grow,” she said. “That’s the one feedback we get the most is it was a great party. They come in and they just get to relax. They get to enjoy the evening and have a great time.”
Tickets can be purchased from team members, Madera and Madera South athletic departments or by calling Madera Glass and Body Shop at 674-8559.
If You Go…
Madera Athletics Dinner Dance
When: Sept. 22
Where: Madera Glass and Auto Body Shop, 105 E. Central Ave.
Cost: $30
Why: Supporting athletic programs at Madera and Madera South high schools.
How: Purchase tickets from team members, at Madera or Madera South high school athletic departments or Madera Glass and Body Shop at 674-8559
