Fundraiser for needy children

“Southern Comfort” is the theme for the 34th annual Dress the Child dinner in Las Cruces.

The goal is to raise money to buy new clothes and shoes for the neediest children in Las Cruces and the Mesilla Valley.

The dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road.

Tickets are $100 each or a table of 10 for $800.

The highlight of the evening will be a multi-course dinner celebrating foods from the American South prepared by Las Cruces’ finest chefs. This year’s chefs are Doña Ana Community College Senior Culinary Arts Instructor Tom Drake and Cake and Patisserie Instructor Jenni Kosnic-Hart; Hacienda de Mesilla Executive Chef Cecilia Castro and General Manager Chris Hutchinson; D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro General Manager and Chef Kevin Chavez and Kitchen Manager Luis Castaneda; Las Cruces Convention Center Executive Chef Armando Murillo; SYSCO Foods Chef Mando Pomales and District Sales Manager Jimmyray Perea; Farm and Ranch Museum Chef Eric Kurtz; with Jeremiah Richardson, owner of Proofed Bread Company providing bread products."

There will also be a silent auction, live music and a cash bar. Hilary Floren, the long-time anchor of Good Morning, El Paso! on KVIA-TV will return as master of ceremonies.

"We are really excited about this year's Dress the Child fundraising dinner,” said long-time Dress the Child Board Chair, Doug Boberg. “This is the first time we have held the dinner on a Thursday evening and it's the first time it has been at the beautiful Farm and Ranch facility, thanks to Marci Dickerson, who is the dinner host and owner of Dickerson's Catering. This is going to be one of those events you won’t want to miss. Tickets are selling fast, so get yours before we sell out!”

All proceeds from the dinner will buy new clothing and shoes, purchased in partnership with local stores, for Mesilla Valley children living in poverty.

“I can't express how excited I am for this year's Dress the Child event,” said Chef Jenni Kosnic-Hart, one of this year’s participating chefs. “It's a privilege to be part of an organization that brings so much joy and confidence to children in our community. I know the impact of this program goes far beyond new outfits – it's about building self-esteem and giving these kids a sense of hope for the future. I'm incredibly proud of the work we do and can't wait to see the positive difference we'll make this year."

“Through two decades of 'Dress the Child' dinners, I've witnessed the transformative power of food, community, and compassion, making every plate a step towards brighter futures,” Chef Tom Drake said.

Centennial High School family and consumer sciences teachers Carleigh Salmon and Magan Romig, will bring CHS Family, Career and Community Leaders of America students to act as servers during the evening. They will be joined by Briana Madrid and FCCLA students from Organ Mountain High School.

Boberg expressed his gratitude to this year’s dinner sponsors: MoutainView Regional Medical Center, Citizens Bank of Las Cruces and Household Furniture. This year’s media sponsors are the Las Cruces Bulletin and Adams Radio.

A program of the Rio Grande Rotary Foundation, Dress the Child of Las Cruces provided new clothes and shoes to 525 children last year and provided hoodies to 65 high school students with the help of American Linen. It helped 15 children during its first year in the 1980s. Since then, more than 15,000 children – the vast majority of whom have never had new clothes or new shoes – have received them through the program. The goal this year is to provide new clothes and shoes for 500-600 children in need, Boberg said.

In November and December, volunteers will take children selected by their schools shopping at a local store. Each child will have $100 to spend on clothing; participating stores have always added more to that total, Boberg said.

For tickets to the dinner, to be a sponsor and for more information, call contact Boberg at 575-644-9469 and drboberg@gmail.com or visit the website dressthechildlc.org.

To make a donation to Dress the Child of Las Cruces, send a check to LCRGRF Dress the Child, P.O. Box 550, Las Cruces, N.M, 88004. Or take your donation to Julie Koenig at First New Mexico Bank, 3000 E. Lohman Ave.