he Buena Park Noon Lions Club of District 4-L4 held its annual Silverado Days Grants Luncheon recently at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel for the simple reason of handing out money that was made during the annual three-day Silverado Days event held at William Peak Park.
All money made during the event was given to local non-profits, schools, and to those who filled out a grant request.
he Buena Park Noon Lions Club of District 4-L4 held its annual Silverado Days Grants Luncheon recently at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel for the simple reason of handing out money that was made during the annual three-day Silverado Days event held at William Peak Park.
All money made during the event was given to local non-profits, schools, and to those who filled out a grant request.
A man of many hats, Patrick Donnelly works hard to have exciting and interesting entertainment happen at Silverado Days. Donnelly’s partner in Silverado Days is Lions Club Vice President, Laura Rodehaver. “She handles the paperwork and there’s lots of it,” said Donnelly.
Silverado Days draws more than 60,000 people to the festival sponsored by the City of Buena Park and administered by the Buena Park Noon Lions Club. Different organizations and individuals purchase the use of one of the 16 food booths, 20 game booths, 90 arts and crafts booths, and 30 carnival rides. Not a single penny of Silverado Days money is spent by the Buena Park Noon Lions Club- it all goes to local charity.
The Senior Citizen Commission sponsors the annual pie-eating contest, which is a hoot; come see how quickly people of all ages can inhale a yummy piece of chocolate pie for a prize. A Senior Citizens Production hosts the annual hog calling contest which brings out all the wanna-be farmers, calling the pigs. It’s a riot and some men even come in costume.
The Boys & Girls Club of Buena Park has taken the lead in the Woodshop Weekend and the Pinewood Derby racing project. Cars are raced on a long steep car track. It’s always fun for car enthusiasts to see whose car tops out as the fastest speed. The Johnsonville Big Taste Grill is not your average backyard barbecue. It has been on the road since 1995 and was back at Silverado Days, helping to raise even more money to give back to the community in the form of Silverado Days Grants. The Big Taste Grill is 20-feet tall, 65-feet long, and 6-feet in diameter. Johnsonville created the original Big Taste Grill in 1995 to celebrate its company’s 50th anniversary. The Big Taste Grill operates at special events such as community festivals, major sporting events and retail locations all over the country.
Johnsonville donates the proceeds of brat sales to a local charity at each event it serves. The only thing it asks is that the local community provides volunteers to man the Big Taste Grill to cook and serve the brats. Buena Park Coordinating Council served as the hosts for the barbecue, with proceeds going to feed the hungry of Buena Park. The Big Taste Grill program has raised more than $3.5 million dollars for a variety of charities nationwide, many of them are local community organizations such as Silverado Days. The next Silverado Days is set for William Peak Park, Friday through Sunday, Oct. 20, 21 and 22, 7225 El Dorado Dr., in Buena Park – opening at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20 and continuing through Sunday evening Oct. 21, when there is the drawing at 9 p.m. sharp on the Main Stage for a 2017 car or truck (vehicle to be determined). For information, visit www.silveradodays.com.
