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closePuyallup restaurants part of local AIDS benefit
HG Bistro, Toscanos help raise money for HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention
Joan Cronk/for The Herald
On Thursday, April 29, two Puyallup restaurants participated in an event to benefit the Pierce County AIDS Foundation.
HG Bistro and Toscanos Cafe and Wine Bar donated 25 percent of their food and non-alcoholic beverage proceeds on that evening to the foundation. These monies will help the AIDS Foundation prevent HIV infection and provide care for families and individuals affected by HIV/AIDS, said Beth Lightly, coordinator of the event.
“This is the 16th year we’ve done this in Pierce County,” Lightly said.
“It is a great program that is happening on the national level,” said Lightly, who added that thousands of people will be participating and millions of dollars will be raised.
Sixty restaurants in Pierce County held similar events and HG Bistro and Toscanos were more than happy to jump on the bandwagon and help the AIDS Foundation’s efforts.
Andy Kenser, chef at HG Bistro, said taking part in the event “is an opportunity for people to have a night out and feel good about it at the same time.”
Ambassadors from the AIDS Foundation were on hand to answer questions and HG Bistro had light music from a group that donated their time for the event. Kenser said that it was a great night.
“We made about $700 for the AIDS Foundation and we saw a lot of new customers and look forward to seeing them all again,” Kenser said. “People came out in droves to support a good cause and got out their wallets on a Thursday night, which is not common in our business.”
Kenser thanked the AIDS Foundation for the event and everyone who made a donation to the cause.
Tom Pantley, executive chef and co-owner of Toscanos, said that last year was the first time his business took part in the fundraiser but he was part of a group that participated in Dining Out for Life a few years ago.
“We were totally unprepared for the volume of people who showed up,” said Pantley, adding that the ambassadors there to answer questions had to help wait the tables.
Pantley said Toscanos was full of customers most of the evening. Customers included regulars and new guests as well.
“There was a real air of positive purpose in the room,” he said. “We noticed that many of our guests were at Toscanos for the first time, drawn by the prospect of helping others.”
Lightly said that years ago people wouldn’t even talk about HIV/AIDS because they were ashamed or afraid and then suddenly everyone was talking about it.
“Now there is a complacency that comes with it as medications have improved and people are living longer,” she said.
For this reason, it is more important than ever to keep the public educated and updated about HIV/AIDS, she said. The Pierce County AIDS Foundation has more than 450 active clients and its client load has increased by 24 percent in the last year.
“For many people,” Lightly said, “the dining out event is the only conversation they will have about HIV all year.”
She feels the presence of the ambassadors at each participating restaurant offered people an opportunity to learn more about HIV/AIDS and also let them know just what their dollars are going for.
“We are the only comprehensive AIDS service organization in the county,” Lightly said. “If you care about services for people living with AIDS, we’re it.”