Lions dinner raises $3,000, club prepares for Hot Desert Nights

MATTAWA - The Mattawa-Desert Aire Lions Club raised more than $3,000 with its annual Seafood Feast in March and now has its eye on a bigger prize in August.

Hot Desert Nights, an annual day-long summer festival that ends with dancing under the stars, has been set for Saturday, August 6, at Desert Aire. It brought in more than $17,000 for charity work last year.

First up, though, are the annual Easter egg hunts at Desert Aire and Mattawa this Saturday, April 23. The M-DA Lions have helped with the one at Desert Aire in the past. They will also assist at Mattawa this year.

Both Easter egg hunts will begin at 10 a.m. The one at Mattawa will be in Hund Memorial Park. The one at Desert Aire will be in Desert Aire Park.

"Two thousand eggs will be laid at each park," M-DA Lions Secretary Susan Parker said.

Also coming up soon will be the awarding of two $1,000 scholarships to Wahluke High School Seniors. Parker is expecting applications soon.

"Last year, one of the boys who won went to welding school. It's not just for college," Parker said.

Parker noted the Seafood Feast sold 172 tickets. She said the holders shelled out $1,407 at the silent auction and brought the total take to $3,209.33, which goes into the general fund for charity projects.

One of those projects, the Lions Health Van, recently screened 2,000 Mattawa students for vision, hearing and other physical or medical needs. The M-DA Lions paid the cost of bringing the van and its staff to town.

Auction items included two goose hunting trips for four, an Italian dinner prepared and served by Gayle Denco Arnold and a tri-tip dinner prepared and served by Mark and Jodie Ulrich.

Not much will change with Hot Desert Nights, Parker said, except that a hamburger-hot dog concession stand will be added for the drag races.

"A lot of people come to the races," Parker said.

Hot Desert Nights will start with a golf tournament. There will be a classic car show in the park and drag racing at the airport as the day wears on.

The evening will feature a barbecue in the park and dancing at the gazebo in the park.

"We hope to bring in more than $17,000 this year," Parker said.