Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District #2 is proud to celebrate a remarkable year of community dinners—a year made possible entirely through the generosity, partnership, and volunteer spirit of our local community. Together, we have served more than 1,000 meals, strengthened connections, and ensured that everyone has a place at the table.
This year’s success began with a gift years in the making. CAP safeguarded the $1,000 raised before COVID, holding it through the pandemic and later donating it to help launch the first year of dinners. Their stewardship provided the foundation that allowed the program to begin strong.
As food costs have risen, funds raised throughout the year have been used to help sponsors offset expenses when needed. This shared support ensures that no sponsor carries the burden alone and that the dinners remain accessible to all.
Local restaurants have stepped up in exceptional ways. Paso del Norte and Gateway 1890 Taphouse & Grill have each sponsored dinners, with Gateway sponsoring three of the nine. Gateway has also collected donations during its Wednesday trivia nights, helping to cover food costs and keep the dinners sustainable.
Our inaugural dinner was hosted by Windermere, which not only sponsored the meal but also provided an incredible team of volunteers. St. Anne Catholic Church also sponsored a dinner and brought a large group of volunteers who helped make the evening run smoothly.
Additional sponsorship from the Blaine Chamber of Commerce and Columbia Bank has strengthened the program and expanded its reach throughout the year. We also extend our sincere thanks to WSU Extension for their partnership and support of this program.
There are many others who have donated their time, resources, and support to make these dinners a success—too many to mention individually. We are grateful to each and every one of them.
With nine dinners completed and more than a thousand meals shared, we are excited to announce one more community dinner before summer, sponsored by Family Care Network. This final spring dinner will take place on Thursday, June 18th, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Blaine Community Center, and we hope to see everyone one last time before the summer break.
The community dinners will return this fall, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the table.
