Published: January 26, 2007 11:47 am      

Fat Friday fundraiser will benefit bandshell

BY RUTH RICE

RRICE@TRIBDEM.COM

Fat Tuesday will be celebrated on a Friday this year.

Roxbury Bandshell Preservation Alliance is altering the calendar by holding a Fat Friday fundraiser at 6 p.m. Feb. 16 at Richland Township firemen’s banquet hall, 1321 Scalp Ave.

Proceeds from a reverse auction will benefit the alliance.

For a $100 donation, guests will have the chance to win $10,000.

A maximum of 250 tickets will be sold, said Mary Borkow, alliance president.

“We decided to raise some serious money,” Borkow said. “We thought this would be a good way.

“This is the first of its kind for the bandshell, and we’re interested in doing our own Fat Friday the same time every year.”

Fat Tuesday, for which the event is named, is traditionally the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Christian observance of Lent.

Known as Mardi Gras in French, Fat Tuesday is a celebration with parades and parties prior to the fasting season of Lent.

Organizers of the fundraiser decided the event would get a better turnout on a Friday night than a Tuesday, and when they realized the date they had chosen was actually the start of Mardi Gras weekend, Fat Friday was born.

A buffet dinner provided by Anthony’s Catering, 725 Scalp Ave., Richland Township, will be served at 6:45.

The highlight of the event will be the drawing for the grand prize – $10,000.

“Then we have door prizes, too,” Borkow said.

Other ticket holders will have a chance to win $100.

There also will be a business-card drawing.

Emcee for the event will be Johnstown businessman Denny Grenell.

Dance music will be provided by Flood City Brass, which performed at Roxbury Bandshell this summer.

The eight-member group’s repertoire spans Glenn Miller to Maroon 5.

Flood City Brass is composed of Tom Pavic, lead vocalist; Luis Gonzalez III, keyboard; Josh Covert, guitar, baritone trumpet; Kyle Reasbeck, bass; John Homerski, drums; Dan Perich, trumpet, flugelhorn; and Jen Shuty, trombone, sax and guitar.

The eighth member of the group is Ryan Lantzy, sound and lighting engineer.

Tickets may be purchased by calling Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Chamber of Commerce at 536-5107 or by e-mailing deb@roxburybandshell.com.

“Response has been great,” Borkow said. “They’re selling like hotcakes. We could sell all the tickets. It should make a nice, fun evening.”