'Roaring Night' a success

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##Lacey Summers hugs Katie O’Brasky, who holds a raffle basket she won, during the McMinnville Lions Club’s third-annual Roaring Night of Giving on Feb. 21 in the Evergreen Theater lobby. The 1920s-themed fundraiser raised $18,000 for McMinnville High School’s student resource room and Lions projects.

McMinnville Lions Club’s third-annual Roaring Night of Giving on Feb. 21 “went really, really well,” according to club member Kim Libonati.

The 1920s-themed event raised $18,000, about 20% more than in previous years, she said.

Money will be divided between the resource room for students at McMinnville High School and Lions projects such as scholarships, sight and hearing assistance and its medical device loan program.

Annually, Libonati said, the club spends $12,000 to $15,000 to provide glasses, hearing aids and vision and hearing tests. It also distributes about $11,000 in scholarships.

Lions also support organizations at Mac High such as the Twilighters, the wrestling team and other groups, including the Leos, a junior Lions program.

About 30 students from MHS volunteered for the Roaring Night of Giving, which was held at Evergreen Theater lobby.

Libonati said the community and school district’s support helped that event, as did Evergreen’s program that rents event space at a discount for nonprofit organizations’ fundraisers.