Po-Boy Lunch

The Dunbar Association serves catfish sandwiches to raise funds for after school programs

The Dunbar Association, 1453 S. State St., sold catfish po-boy sandwiches with sweet potato pie to raise money for the organization’s after school programs on Friday, April 8.

The fundraiser, held from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., charged $7 for each meal, and the money goes toward the expenses for the third annual Black and White Gala on May 20.

“The Black and White Gala is almost like a prom for the young kids,” said Eileen Arocho, a youth development specialist at the Dunbar Association. “They get to dress up in tuxedos and gowns, and they get to display their etiquette skills—how to sit at a table, where to place their napkins.”

The proceeds from the sandwich sale will help to alleviate the cost of the gala for parents. “We want to make sure all the kids can participate,” Arocho said, “some parents are more fortunate than others.” To help individual parents, Dunbar plans to cover part of the gala expenses, such as the cost of tuxedos.

“I came to [the lunch to] support the children of Dunbar,” said Jean Wright, a senior citizen who attends the senior program three times a week at Dunbar. “And the meal was great—my favorite part was the fish.”

“[The fundraiser] was a great way to get everyone together, eat, have a nice lunch, and be for a good benefit,” Arocho said.

The lunch was also a preview or run through for Dunbar, who plans to sell po-boy fish sandwiches at the New York State Fair this summer to raise money for the agency.