DOWNEY – One hundred and forty or so Rotarians and their family and friends recently gathered for a Winner’s Night at the Embassy Suites, a fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Downey’s many service projects in the community.

Besides annual benefits for the Arc and the Y, proceeds from this fundraiser support the Rotary Club’s other good deeds. TLC – the Downey School District’s True Lasting Connections - gets a share, as does a new Interact Club at Columbus High School.

Dinner tables were festively strewn with oversized playing cards, and poker chips of heart-red, diamond-white and clover-blue clubs were scattered over the spade-black table cloths. In addition to the dinner tables, there were play-money blackjack, and craps stations, and a Texas hold ’em poker table set up.

With the “funny money” they won, players could take a chance on an elaborate set of prizes, ranging from a three months’ membership and training program at the Downey Family YMCA to a 2-night stay at the fellow Rotarian Maurice Casaus’s deluxe Downey Embassy Suites.

A low hum from the rapt gathering accompanied Master of Ceremonies Larry Garces as he stood for an hour and fifteen minutes and read off 248 numbers and names.

A boring recital? Not so. Each name was followed by a sigh or a cheer, the emotions intensifying as the opportunity drawing game eliminated contestants down to the last few left figuratively standing. Nate Mahoney, Dr. Dan Fox and Russell Skersick helped out with keeping tallies.

Dinner was served at long buffet tables spread with white napery and an impressive line of chaffing dish entrees: meaty lasagna; summer sausage on a bed of ratatouille; chicken Marengo tomato-style sauce. There were colorful pastas and salad, and grilled rounds of buttered and parslied French bread. Diners enjoyed dessert of chocolate mousse cake and strawberry-decorated cheesecake, and table conversation flourished because there was no loud background music threatening to down them out.

Raul Lopez, under whose presidency the first winner’s evening tradition began in 1995, was there with his wife Arlene, a Soroptimist, and both are proud parents of Alex Lopez, a young professional Downey Rotarian in charge of the evening, and also a past president of the club. Keeping it in the family, Alex’s wife Jenette, also a member of the Downey Club, helped Alex with his chores.

Spotted in the crowd was Kevin MacDonald, former executive at the Arc of Downey, enjoying a conversation with the current Arc director, Donna Lindley, both Rotarians. Bernice Mancibo Stumps, patroness of many of Downey’s good causes, attended, and spread the word about the upcoming Aerospace Legacy program. Feeling lucky were Rotarians Diane Davis, Judy Reynolds and Harold Tseklenis.

The bigger winner was the Rotary Club of Downey, as the proceeds go to its many projects. Ultimately the grand winner is the community of Downey, whom Rotary, like all the other worthy service clubs in town, seeks to serve.

The evening was strictly business and pleasure combined – Rotarians having fun, doing good.