Valley families gathered at Ana’s Family Style Mexican Restaurant on Feb. 6 to be waited on by city officials, including the mayor, as part of the YMCA’s annual fundraising dinner. The YMCA raised more than $1,000 that evening.

Snoqualmie Valley YMCA Executive Director Nate Smith said the dinner, which has become a staple in the YMCA’s annual fundraising schedule, is part of the organization’s goal to raise $78,600 in 2017. Ana’s contributed a percentage of the purchase price of certain dishes that evening to the YMCA’s annual fund drive, which is used for year-round programs.

“This event is one of our efforts to raise our goal of $78,600. Tonight is one of the steps to getting there,” Smith said.

“It supports a total of six different programs that range from making sure kids get to go to camp through financial assistance, we work with Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank on a program, we do a program around youth homelessness assistance, and a few other programs.”

Anna Sotelo, owner of Ana’s, said the event was successful, resulting in 50 plates of enchiladas sold and $1,000 donated to the YMCA.

“We chose a slow night of the week and we did more sales than we would have on a typical Tuesday,” she said. “It’s helping out community neighbors and picking up business on a slow night.”

Along with YMCA volunteers, Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson, Fire Chief Mark Correira and Parks and Public Works Director Dan Marcinko also helped out by acting as volunteer waiters for the evening.

“This is my third time doing it,” Correira said. “The public works director, myself and the mayor usually come down here to serve.”

Marcinko said they volunteer their time to help the YMCA create and support the programs they offer year round. He said he has participated in the event every time.

“We are asking people to donate for the kids because it stays at the YMCA,” he said. “People are very energetic about it.”

While this was the second time Smith helped run the event, the ongoing relationship between the YMCA and Ana’s has made its organization very simple.

“Months in advance we talk with her on a date that makes sense and fits their schedule as well as our time frame,” he said. “I reach out to all the various officials and ask them to come and we do a run-down of what they are going to do and what their role is so they know what they are involved with and then we start trying to recruit families and community members to come out tonight and participate. At this point it’s pretty seamless because we’ve done it a couple years in a row.”

Smith said the YMCA will continue fundraising throughout the year. For more information visit www.snovalleyymca.org.

Snoqualmie Fire Chief Mark Correira serves some Enchilada’s to other Snoqualmie firefighters who came by to support the YMCA. (Evan Pappas/Staff Photo)

Nate Smith, executive director of the SNoqualmie Valley YMCA, speaks with Snoqualmie Historian Dave Battey at Ana’s Mexican Family Style Restaurant. (Evan Pappas/Staff Photo)

SNoqualmie Chamber of Commerce President Carolyn Simpson works with two volunteers to help make sure service is running smoothly during the fundraiser. (Evan Pappas/Staff Photo)