Thanks to many generous people in Clarkston and the rest of Oakland County, Deer Lake Athletic Club was the site of a family dinner to thank and welcome new recruits to the Marine Corps family.
‘I didn’t have anyone tell me ‘No,? said event organizer Rudy Lozano. ‘From major contributors who gave in the four figures to a waitress who wrote me a check for $50.?
The evening featured several prominent politicians, on both local and national levels. U.S. Congressman Mike Rogers gave a speech focusing on his time with troops in Iraq and Afganistan. Michigan State Representative Fran Amos and Independence Township Supervisor Dave Wagner were also in attendance.
?(This dinner) is about telling (the marines) that we value their service,? said Rogers.
Rogers made his entrance via helicopter, arriving from Howell where he was holding a fund-raising event.
Serving as an Emcee for the evening was Waterford Chief of Police John Dean, who also helped organize the dinner.
‘My good friend John Dean mentioned the idea to me and I said let’s put it together,? said Lozano, who in the past has raised money for charities and politicians including L. Brooks Patterson.
Dean echoed Lozano’s comments as to how easy the money for the dinner was raised for in his address to the crowd of approximately 230 people.
‘There were no ‘No’s? when we said we needed to raise money for (the dinner),? said Dean. ‘This is not a political event, this is about the marines.?
The owner of the the Deer Lake Racquet Club gave the organizers of the Marine family night dinner a deal on both their hall and the staff.
The amount of money which Lozano was able to funnel into the event was reflected in both the catering and extensive decorations of red, white and blue regalia.
The Clarkston High School band was in attendance to give a rendition of the Marine Corp Hymm. The band had specifically learned the tune for the event and one of the marines in attendance told Lozano that they did a wonderful job.
According to Lozano from the feedback he heard, both the families of the new recruits, who came from all over the metro-area, and the current marines in attendence enjoyed the evening.
The catered buffet featured fine cuts of meat, potatos, salad and fresh fruit was also well received. Several people in attendance, including enlisted marines, told Lozano that the food was especially good since in the past this sort of function might have been catered with a ‘bunch of chicken wings? in the past.
With the Marine family dinner having gone so well, Lozano is planning to put together another celebration next year.