The AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area holds its largest fundraiser of the year May 1st with the annual A Taste For Life.
This is where 10 restaurants in North Bay and one in Callander serve meals to the public and donate 25 percent of the evening’s take to the ACNBA.
Charlene Lalonde, the Communication Community Resources Coordinator for the ACNBA, says last year Taste For Life raised $13,300 and the hope is this year’s event can match the 2018 total.
Lalonde says all the money goes to pay for client services with most of the funds helping clients with travel expenses for doctor appointments in Sudbury or Toronto.
Other money is to supply clients with a computer to help them with communication while still others are given money for a bed and food vouchers for when they’re undergoing treatment.
Lalonde says this is the 11th year for the local event which got its start nationally 21 years ago.
A Taste For Life events now involve 23 communities from Alberta to Ontario and Montreal was just added this year.
Lalonde says the 11 participating restaurants will each have their own hosts from 5:00pm to 8:00pm and some hosts may stay longer.
For example, at the Raven and Republic MyNorthBayNow.com announcers Mike Monghan and Steph Ferris are the hosts for the evening.
The Station sees North Bay Deputy Police Chief Scott Tod for several hours.
Each of the restaurants is independently-owned.
Lalonde says the public can order from the menu although she notes some restaurants have prepared a pre-determined meal just for the occasion like The Portage has a rib night planned.
Lalonde says ACNBA is looking to expand the event next year and may add restaurants from Sturgeon Falls.
She adds take-out restaurants could also be added for people who can’t make the sit-down, onsite event.
For more information and for a full list of the restaurants involved in this year’s A Taste For Life, click here.
