Tuesday Today marks the 10th annual “Dining Out for Life.” As WBFO & AM-970’s Eileen Buckley reports, nearly 100-restaurants in Erie, Niagara and Chautauqua counties will participate to raise money to help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Inside the kitchen at Ristorante Lombardo on Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo the staff is always busy serving up Italian cuisine, and Tuesday night will be no different.
“All the money that we raise that day stays in Western New York. No of it leaves here,” said Tom Lombardo, owner.
Lombardo and his wife Donna are chairing this year’s Dining Out for Life.
Participating restaurants contribute at least 25% of Tueday's food sales to Evergreen Health.
It is food that connects the community to participate for such a serious cause.
“Something good for the community like this is taking place around a table. That’s why it’s become such a great event, that’s why it has grown so much,” said Lombardo. "Aids and HIV has been a curse in the world for many years. It’s not as big of a curse as it used to be because it is not a death sentence anymore. And one of the reason is because of the money that has been raised and the work that has been done on it,” said Lombardo.
Dining Out for Life first started in 2003 with just 27 restaurants and raising $22,000. But last year area restaurants contributed $97,000 toward Evergreen Health, formerly known AIDS Community Services.
“Evergreen Health Services does so much for the community, concerning AIDS and HIV," said Lombardo. "They help the families. There are 7,000 families affected by this in our community alone. So there is a lot of work and everybody needs to know people that go to Evergreen Health Services are not charged anything, it is all free so all the money that is being donated goes there and is being used very wisely.”
If your favorite restaurant is participating it is wise to make a reservation, but Lombardo noted that the formula to make tonight’s “Dining Out of Life” a success is simple.
All the people have to do is bring their appetite and we will do the rest!", said Lomaboro.