Muscatine Kiwanis Club to host take out spaghetti dinner
by Margaret Hurlbert
February 19, 2022

MUSCATINE, Iowa–As far back as the 1980s, the Muscatine Kiwanis Club has worked to give kids in need the extra boost they need to succeed through their annual spaghetti dinner. This week, Kiwanis members will bring this tradition back in a drive through format to provide a good meal for a good cause.

A well-established Muscatine Kiwanis Club tradition, Events Chair Pat Mullin remembers getting involved with the event shortly after he joined the club in 1986. He recalls: “My first contribution to Kiwanis was the spaghetti dinner fundraiser. The inspiration was to improve the lives of kids.”

Currently the spaghetti dinner, in tandem with other Kiwanis Club fundraisers, benefits kids in a variety of ways. Each year, the club selects one elementary school where they host a holiday party, complete with presents and food, for 20 kids. Throughout the year, the Kiwanis Club also lends its support to, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Muscatine County, the Flickinger Learning Center, the Muscatine Center for Social Action, and the Salvation Army of Muscatine County, which together make sure that all children have the positive role models, academic help, and food and shelter needed to thrive. To ensure all students have a chance to push themselves academically, the Kiwanis Club also supports the science fair the local chapter of the Iowa Engineering Society puts on each spring.

The Kiwanis Club’s spaghetti dinner has served up its tasty fare in many different locations. This year, the Salvation Army of Muscatine County, located at 100 Oregon Street in Muscatine, has generously agreed to lend their space to the event.

To ensure the health and comfort of all diners this year, the Kiwanis Club will hold their dinner drive through style. Anyone wanting to enjoy spaghetti the evening of Feb. 25 may purchase meal tickets ahead of time by contacting any member of the Kiwanis Club or by paying at the door. For just $6 for adults or $3 for children ages four to 12, hungry Muscatine area residents can have spaghetti with meat or meatless sauce, a slice of garlic bread, apple sauce, coffee or milk to drink, and a sweet dessert treat. Kids under three may get their meals for free. People may pick up their meals at their convenience between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. the evening of the dinner.

One of their most successful fundraisers of the year, the Kiwanis Club looks to bring in $2,500 to $3,000. Mullin hopes that the desire to help kids, paired with the high quality of the food, will convince many people to take part in the drive through Kiwanis Club spaghetti dinner this year. “They get a good meal at a very reasonable price, and they are helping Muscatine children and particularly disadvantaged children,” he emphasized.

Outside of the spaghetti dinner, the Kiwanis Club meets weekly on Tuesday at 12 p.m. at the Musser Public Library to plan projects to benefit area children and youth. If you would like to learn more about the Muscatine Kiwanis Club or to find out how to join, Mullins invites you to email him.

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