The Daphne-Spanish Fort Kiwanis Club proudly announces the success of the 2011 Taste of the Towns, held recently at 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, and wishes to thank the 400-plus attendees and the participating restaurants, sponsors and silent auction/door-prize donors for their bountiful contributions. 

Special  appreciation is extended to our Diamond Sponsors listed below and the Spanish Fort Police Department, Power Productions and the Dogwood Court.

Participating restaurants that provided an assortment of delectable specialty items included: A Taste of New Orleans, Bentz’s Pizza Pub, Captain’s Table, Catering to You, Chick-fil-A, Don Carlos, Eskamoes, Fastime, Kraver’s Seafood, LA BBQ, Liz’s Lunch (Fitzpen Place), Master Joe’s & Shanghai Cottage, McAlister’s Deli, Mellow Mushroom, Mike’s Smokehouse Market, O’Charley’s, Olive Garden, Original Oyster House, Papa’s Place, Pizza Hut, Rosie’s Grill, Sam’s Club, Stapleton’s Catering, Starbucks Coffee, Stix, Sugar Kettle Cafe, Tamara’s Restaurants — Aurora’s, Tamara’s Downtown, Tamara’s Bar and Grill and The Stadium, and Zaxby’s.

The generous sponsors who made financial and in-kind contributions were: Diamond —  Barefoot Wine (Ron Gurley), Budweiser-Busch (Becca Helton), Grand Band Entertainment (Glenn Normand), Grand Hotel Marriott Resort (David Clark), Gulf Distributing (Mandy Smith), Innerspaice Architectural Interiors (Jim Vaughn), Lad Drago State Farm Insurance, Riviera Utilities (Tom Byrne), Sam’s Club (Tom Snow), WABF/1220 AM (Lori Dubose), and 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center (Hank Burch); Platinum, Baldwin Accounting and Tax Service, Callaway & Associates, Inc., C. Anne Smith, DMD, PC, Kiwanis Club of Fairhope and the Eastern Shore, and Vision Bank; 

Gold — BankTrust Financial Services, BBVA Compass Bank, Bryant Bank, Coastal Bank and Trust, Hughes Cremation & Funeral Services, Iberia Bank, Johnson, Slaughter, Elder & Northcutt, PA, Terry Thompson Chevrolet, and Thomas Hospital;

Silver — Color Us Kids Learning Center, Gulfbelt Properties, Hartmann, Blackmon & Kilgore, P.C., Hutchison, Moore & Rauch LLC, Long’s Human Resource Services, Maureen and Tom Shappley, Regions Bank, Tameron Honda, and United Bank.

Due to the generosity of these supporters and those who bought tickets, the event raised approximately $15,000 to help support club service projects and three area Key Clubs at Spanish Fort High School, Daphne High School and Bayside Academy.

The Kiwanis Club annually awards three $1,000 scholarships to outstanding graduating seniors and makes donations to organizations that serve the community and promote the youth. Some of these organizations are:  SEEDS, SFEEF, the Ruff Wilson Youth Center, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Youth Ranch, Magic Moments, Camp Smile, CARE House, Prodisee Pantry, Camp ASCCA, Camp Smile, Jubilee Headstart —  Reading is Fundamental, Special Olympics, Young Life and the Dogwood Trail Court.

The Kiwanis Club is an international service organization that strives to “change the world one child and one community at a time.”

The Daphne-Spanish Fort Kiwanis Club meets each Wednesday at noon at Ryan’s Buffet and Grill in the Eastern Shore Center. Guests are encouraged to attend.

For additional information, call 621-2996.