Kendall Lions serve 672 chicken barbecue dinners for Amy Laureano Memorial Fund

Photos by Tom Rivers

KENDALL – Rob Fagan, left, and Steve Barrett flip chickens today in the fire pits behind the Kendall Methodist Church.

The Kendall Lions Club with help the Kendall Leos and other volunteers served 672 chicken barbecue dinners today in annual tradition the Saturday before the Super Bowl. The Lion Club has been organizing the dinner for nearly 20 years and picks a different recipient of the proceeds each year.

The money from today’s dinner will go towards the Amy Laureano Memorial Fund, which has been started for a much-loved Kendall first grade teacher. Amy Laureano passed away on July 30.

Lucas Jones of the Kendall Leos Club scoops cole slaw in a take-out container in the fellowship hall of the church. Ken DeRoller, a Kendall Lions Club member for 40 years, assists in the line of volunteers.

Debbie Ryan of the Lions Club gets a takeout dinner ready to go. Many of the Leos at the Kendall school served as runners, taking the meals out to a lineup of cars.

Elizabeth Pratt, left, puts cole slaw in a take-out container held by Destiny Blosenhauer. The Kendall students volunteered in serving today’s meal. The students liked the fast pace of the operation.

Lions Club members Douglas Urquhart, left, and Cary Wright keep a close eye on the chickens, taking the temperature. The chickens took a little longer to cook today than usual. The Lions Club worked on the cole slaw on Friday and cooked the chickens and potatoes this morning right up until the meals were served after noon.

The club expects the benefit raised about $5,000 for the memorial fund.

There will also be a faculty basketball game on March 7, with teachers from Holley playing Kendall, to raise money for the Amy Laureano Memorial Fund to assist students at Kendall.