This article ran in several local news publications, including the Daily Astorian, Tillamook County Pioneer and North Coast Citizen, prior to the event:
MANZANITA – In its continued tradition of giving back to the community by hosting periodic fundraising dinners, the Big Wave Café will offer an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner with proceeds benefiting the North Tillamook Library Friends.
The Library Lovers Dinner, scheduled for Jan. 28, will feature spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and dessert.
“The local library group makes it possible for Nehalem Bay area residents, and anyone who visits the area, for that matter, to be the well-read, literary group of people we are,”said Brian Williams, who owns the Big Wave with his wife Carol Williams. “When we considered which organizations to host benefit dinners for this year, they definitely came to mind immediately.”
In past years, the Big Wave café has hosted dinners on behalf of a number of local nonprofit organizations, including the Pine Grove Community Club, Rinehart Clinic and Manzanita Business Alliance.
The Big Wave is planning another benefit dinner for the North County Food Bank on Feb. 17.
Williams volunteered to host a fundraiser, said North Tillamook Library Board member Gail Young, who, with Bev Luce, is co-chair of the Friends Communications Committee.
“He’s doing this to support his community’s library. He approached me – we didn’t even asked him. That’s the amazing thing.”
The North Tillamook Library Friends work with the Tillamook County Library System to operate the Manzanita Branch library. The nonprofit Friends group owns the land, building and furnishings, and pays for the cost of utilities and maintenance, while the county library system provides books, periodicals, computers and staff. The Friends raise money to support their part of the arrangement through magazine and book sales.
“There is a unique relationship between the Tillamook County Library and the Manzanita Library,”said Young. “We’re in a public-private relationship.”
“Without them, we wouldn’t have a branch in Manzanita,” said Sara Charlton, director of the Tillamook County Library System.
The Friends formed in 1985 when a number of north Tillamook County residents banded together in hopes of establishing a library branch in their community. The group morphed into the Friends, creating a board of directors, incorporating as a nonprofit organization, holding fundraising events and obtaining matching grants to purchase land and build the library, which was designed by Neahkahnie architect Tom Bender. The building was dedicated in 1987.
“The building is in its 26th year, so we’re seeing some pretty big expenses coming up in the next couple of years,” said Young. “Funds raised from the dinner will help offset costs of replacing gutters and installing a new drainage system in 2014.”
The benefit is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at the Big Wave Café. Dinner will be served buffet style. Wine will be available at a no-host bar.
Tickets are $20 per person, with $10 of each ticket tax-deductible. Reservations are required. To make your reservation, contact Young at 503-368-5248 or gailmyoung@mac.com.
The Friends are always seeking donations as well as volunteers. Learn more here.
The Williams have owned the Big Wave Café since 2011. Prior to that, Brian was senior vice president at Career Education Corporation for Le Cordon Bleu. Carol, who makes the Big Wave´s desserts, is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Portland and studied with renowned French pastry chef, Pascal Tisseur at Petite Provence, an upscale French bakery in Portland.
