Ponderay Rotary announces EPIC-urean Raffle

The Rotary Club of Ponderay is selling tickets for two not-to-be-missed raffle prizes this fall.

The first prize is a special dinner for six that can be served in the winner's home in the greater Sandpoint area, Dover and Hope. The meal is designed by Judy Colegrove, owner of Tango Cafe, Gordon Holmes and Carol and Barney Ballard.

"They are excited to create a special meal together with you," Tiffany Goodvin of Ponderay Rotary said.

No strangers to serving up tasty dishes, the Ballard started in restaurants in Boulder, Colo., in 1974, and after moving to Sandpoint in 1984, opened up The Cupboard Cafe. In 2003, they opened up the Dock of the Bay at the Holiday Shores Marina.

Colegrove was their employee, first at the Beachhouse Restaurant five years prior, and then at The Dock of the Bay.

“We had been inspired by our travels to Argentina and Brazil and our goal at the Dock of the Bay was to bring a new menu to our restaurant each year that reflected the 'comida' of South America," Barney Ballard said. "We always had great employees, like Judy, who were excited about the menu and our wine selections.”

The Ballards were able to successfully provide a unique dining experience that eventually became the Tango Cafe. He credits his long-term employees for keeping the restaurant thriving with their great ideas and skills. Colegrove purchased Tango Cafe from the Ballards in 2008.

“She was willing to work in all phases of culinary experiences as she built and exhibited skills with her talented approach to managing a business," Ballard said. "Her tastes and dedication to quality were exhibited early in her career.”

Ballard is a Rotary Club of Ponderay member and continues to serve Sandpoint through his Rotarian work. This dinner idea was created during one of the club’s fundraising brainstorming sessions. Barney said he looks forward to the opportunity to serve alongside his wife, Carol, his longtime friend, Judy and Judy’s friend, Gordon Holmes, while raising money for a good cause. Together these culinary cooks have over 125 years experience in the kitchen.

"The strengths of this four-person cooking crew is that we can work with you on your menu and special dietary needs will be accommodated,” he said.

If desired, a suggested menu for the evening could include a shrimp scampi appetizer, a fresh green salad with a touch of Saganaki and ciabatta toasted with Argentine Chimi-Churri, a main course of baked fresh steelhead lightly encrusted with dried herbs and served with baby red new potatoes and fresh asparagus wrapped with prosciutto, and a dessert suggestion of Carol Ballard's decadent chocolate cake served over a shallow spill of fresh cream.

All the courses will be complemented with hand-selected wines from DRNK Winery of Sebastopol, Calif.

"If you are the lucky raffle winner, this private dinner for you and five of your friends or family is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Goodvin said.

The other raffle prize is a Ninebot KickScooter E45 by Segway donated by Sandpoint Marine and Motorsports in Ponderay. The kickscooter features integrated molded technology and a metal frame. It has a triple braking system and a 700W powerhouse custom-made high performance motor that delivers a top speed of 18.6 mph and can handle a 20% max slope.

Raffle tickets are $50 each and the winners for both the six-person epicurean dinner and the kickscooter will be drawn on Nov. 1.

"Tickets are limited, so the more you buy, the better chance you have to win," Goodvin said. "When the Club sells 150 tickets, it will be sold out.”

Tickets can be purchased from Ponderay Rotary members or by visiting the website ponderayrotaryclub.com. Proceeds from the fall raffle benefit the Ponderay Rotary club’s educational scholarships and community projects.