Western Carolina University’s Pre-Health Professional Club is sponsoring “Dinner With Friends” on Thursday, April 28 to raise money for a local non-profit organization.
“Dinner With Friends” is a fundraising event that asks campus and community members to dine out at one of five restaurants on April 28 that have agreed to donate a portion of their sales for a particular time span that day. The restaurants are: Bogarts of Sylva (all day), Kostas in Dillsboro (all day), Nick and Nates (all day), Hoopers Restaurant (all day) and the Bone Shack (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.).
Dustin Washburn, president of the Pre-Health Professional Club, said his organization does not have a monetary goal set for the fundraiser. He just wants individuals to eat and enjoy helping a good cause.
“This is a first time for the event and we are just hoping to make it as successful as possible,” Washburn said. “We hope to turn it into an annual event and build upon it each year.”
The Good Samaritan Clinic of Jackson County, who is benefiting from the fundraiser, is a non-profit, volunteer-based primary care clinic for adults who are uninsured and have a low income. Washburn said many members of the Pre-Health Professional Club have ties with the clinic.
“The club chose to help the GSC because several of our members, including myself, volunteer there,” said Washburn. “We realized how important the clinic is to the patients that it serves and, without it, those people would most likely not even get proper medical care. Since the clinic is supported completely by donations and grants, we wanted to help ensure the continuation of care that the clinic is providing.”
For questions about “Dinner With Friends” or if interested in joining the WCU Pre-Health Professional Club, which is open to all WCU students interested in/preparing for a career in the health profession, contact Washburn by e-mailing jdwashburn1@catamount.wcu.edu.
