Tips For Belarus

by Lanette K
(Bismarck, MO)

This was an Awesome! experience, not just a fundraiser, for our Junior and Senior Youth on Missions group. Our church sponsored missionaries to Belarus and we wanted to send them a significant chunk of change from our group.

We decorated the church kitchen (in the basement) with nice tablecloths, real silverware, and candles. Our menu was tossed salad, garlic bread and lasagna and cheesecake for dessert. Due to the special nutrition needs of many of our members, I also offered a low fat version of lasagna, with lean beef, no sausage and fat free cheese.

The youth helped set up the table, took the food orders just as waiters would do, poured ice water, tea or coffee, and kept checking on their "customers". The youth all had large construction paper hearts pinned to their white shirts (they also wore black pants) proudly proclaiming, "TIPS FOR BELARUS".

They served dessert, cleared the tables, and helped with dishes. When the night was over we counted up the "donations" and were thrilled to have several hundred dollars to donate.

We didn't set a price for the dinner, but suggested at least $7 per person. All of the "customers" exceeded this amount.