Rosauers Supermarkets To Treat 1,200 To Dinner

Some 1,200 low-income Spokane residents will be the dinner guests of Rosauers Supermarkets next Sunday at the Masonic Temple, W1108 Riverside.

“Help From the Heart” is an annual Valentine’s gift to Spokane from the supermarkets’ employees, said Barbara Smith, the company’s financial analyst.

This is the third year for the gala. Four years ago, the Inland Northwest food chain became employee-owned, and “a group of people got together to figure out what we could do to give something back to the community,” Smith said.

Each year, the guest list increases.

The first year, they served about 800. Last year it was nearly 1,000.

This year, 500 extra tickets have been printed to include all those who would like to attend, Smith said.

The Rosauers corporation covers part of the expense, and nearly every vendor selling its wares in the supermarket donates produce, food, beverages….

About 250 Rosauers employees and other volunteers will serve this year’s turkey and ham dinner, topped off with sundaes and cake.

Goodwill Industries has joined the effort this year and plans to give everyone a sweatshirt, either new or nearly new. Anyone with a sweatshirt to donate can do so at any Rosauers store or Goodwill outlet.

Dinner tickets are available at any Rosauers, along with free Spokane Transport Authority bus coupons for rides to and from the dinner.