19th Annual Emigrant Basin Pack & Social Club’s Dinner

This Saturday, February 8th, the Emigrant Basin Pack and Social Club will be holding their 19th annual Scholarship Dinner at the Sonora Elks Lodge.

Joel Casler, founding member of the Emigrant Basin Pack and Social Club, was Thursday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”.

The Emigrant Basin Pack and Social Club started about twenty-five years ago with a local group of friends who all enjoyed horse packing vacations in the Sierra Nevada.

After a few years, the group voiced their desire to give back to the community.

They decided to support the Tuolumne County Livestock Auction by purchasing pigs at the Mother Lode Fair. They put on their first dinner from their purchase in 2001 at the Sonora Elks Lodge to help raise scholarship money for the local high schools in Tuolumne County.

That tradition of purchasing animals at the fair and later serving dinner to the community continues today.

The dinner event, which always takes place on the second Saturday of February, typically includes a smoked BBQ pork dinner with green (pesto) spaghetti, beans, salad and bread.

This Saturday evening, the doors will open with a no-host bar opens up at 5 PM. Dinner will be served from 6-8 PM. Raffle prizes, live country music and dancing will follow dinner.

The entertainment will be provided by Keith Keenom and the Mountain Fever Band.

The Emigrant Basin Pack and Social Club is a nonprofit organization where 100% of the proceeds go right back to the kids for scholarships.

Tickets to the event are available by calling Casler at either 209-768-1126. Tickets will also be available at the door, but he would appreciate phone calls before the event so that he can have an accurate head count.

The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 AM on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.