Shakespeare Optimist Club serves record crowd at annual Easter dinner

More than 860 people attended last week’s Shakespeare Optimist Club rib and sauerkraut dinner, lining up outside the Shakespeare Optimist Hall for the annual Easter event. Gary West photo

By Gary West

More than 860 sauerkraut and rib enthusiasts gathered in Shakespeare last week for the Shakespeare Optimist Club’s annual Easter dinner, filling the Optimist Hall to capacity for one of the organization’s most popular fundraising events.

Held each year on the Thursday evening before Good Friday, the rib, pigtail and sauerkraut dinner continues to draw strong support from across the region. Club president Jeremy Witzel said this year’s turnout was the largest in the event’s history.

“It was the biggest ever and will go a long way in securing funds for the club to be used for future youth activities in the community,” Witzel said.

Patrick Kennedy and his team from Kennedy’s of St. Agatha prepared the meal, keeping a steady pace as ticket holders lined up from 5:30-8 p.m. to enjoy what has become a longstanding Easter tradition for residents of Shakespeare and surrounding communities.

In addition to the meal, games of chance and a 50/50 draw added to the evening’s excitement. A resident of Innerkip took home more than $3,000 in the largest 50/50 draw in the event’s history.

Longtime Optimist member Murray Schlotzhauer said the club is already preparing for its next major fundraisers, including a drive-through chicken barbecue planned for the end of August and another rib, pigtail and sauerkraut dinner scheduled for November.

Funds raised through these events support youth programs and initiatives in the local community.