By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Laundry for Love, Pacesetter campaigns, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, and Stuff the Bus are just a few ways United Way of Central Kansas benefits residents in Barton and Pawnee Counties. In an effort to raise funds to continue those programs and more, UWCK Director Charell Owings said the popular Beer & BBQ fundraiser will return Sunday, Oct. 6 at Dry Lake Brewing in downtown Great Bend.
"It's $40 to come, and that includes four beer tastings, so you get four half-pours and you also get a plate of barbecue provided by A&G Catering," she said. "We have not created the menu yet for that but we usually have four different - we call them sample sizes, but it's like a full meal."
The menu for this year's Beer & BBQ fundraiser includes ribs, beef sliders, smoked pork loin, and cowboy chicken soup. There will also be a sweet treat and snacks out for all guests.
UWCK has had a busy July and August with a murder mystery dinner and Stuff the Bus campaigns in Great Bend, Larned, Ellinwood, and Hoisington. Attention now turns to local schools and the Reality U program.
"We're going to be adding in 10th graders this year," Owings said. "They'll have seen it in eighth grade, they'll see it again in 10th grade, then we hit them again in senior year with our #RealWorld program. That's where we dive a little deeper into some of the topics that are important to them as they leave home for the first time."
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library provides free books monthly for children up to five years of age. Ellinwood was one of the first area communities to utilize the program, and nearly 8,800 books have been delivered to Ellinwood families since 2013. CLICK HERE to register for the program.
CLICK HERE to purchase Beer & BBQ tickets.