Restaurants Serve Up Support for Community

Greater Ottawa County United Way partnered with restaurants in Holland, Grand Haven, and Spring Lake earlier this month to invite the community to “Dine Out for Good – LIVE UNITED.” From March 1 through 10, seven restaurants designated certain days and times when they agreed to donate 10 percent of their sales to the community campaign. The event raised nearly $2,000 to help support  local nonprofit health and human service programs.

In addition to The Curragh and Crazy Horse, CityVu Bistro in Holland took part. In the Tri-Cities, Anthony’s Kicked Up Catering and Gourmet Deli, Culver’s, Morning Star Café, and Old Boys Brewhouse  participated.  In all, twice as many restaurants raised more than double what was raised in 2009, the first year the event was held.

“We know that the workplace has changed, and we have to find new ways to reach the citizens of Ottawa County with our message,” said United Way President Patrick Moran.  “These wonderful restaurant partners don’t just help us raise money for the campaign, which is very important, they also help us to raise awareness of the reasons we raise money for the annual campaign and how we guide the community to wisely and thoughtfully invest that generosity  in the 62 programs of our 42 local nonprofit community partners,” he added.

Greater Ottawa County United Way’s 2009-10 Community Campaign kicked off in September 2009 with a goal to raise $1.8 million. A LIVE UNITED Celebration will take place on Thursday, March 25 at Grand Haven Golf Club, during which the campaign results will be announced. For more information about ways to give, advocate, volunteer and LIVE UNITED in Ottawa County, visit www.ottawaunitedway.org

Glen Behan, Manager of The Curragh Irish Pub, and Amy Briones, Manager of Crazy Horse Steak House, took time out from St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations last Wednesday to stop in at Fifth Third Bank on Eighth Street in Holland with checks for Greater Ottawa County United Way, which they presented to Community Campaign Chair Larry Koops, Fifth Third’s Community President for the Lakeshore Region (center). The donations represented 10% of sales on designated “Dine Out for Good” days in March.