This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Frying up Some Steak for Lindenhurst Students

The annual Lindenhurst Kiwanis Larry Troiano Memorial Steak Fry raises scholarship money for local students.

Eat a steak, send a kid to college.

Ok, maybe it's not quite that cut and dry, but cutting into steaks to help in doing just that? It happened – and it happens every year in Lindenhurst.

Lindenhurst Kiwanis held its 53rd Annual Larry Troiano Memorial Steak Fry at Firemen's Park on Thursday. The event is one of the highlights of the Kiwanis calendar every year. It also goes to the core of what the group consistently does throughout the year: raise money to help local youth.

Find out what's happening in Lindenhurstwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In this case proceeds raised from the on help fund scholarships for area high school students. Any graduating senior living in Lindenhurst is eligible to apply.

In May $15,000 worth of scholarships were awarded, largely due to the efforts of last year's Fry.

Find out what's happening in Lindenhurstwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

And while no official numbers are in yet for this year's , "we served about 1,400 people [so] we're expecting approximately the same number this year as last year," said Kiwanis Vice President and Event Chair

All told, more than $355,000 in scholarships has been awarded to 215 students by Lindy Kiwanis over the last 50 years.

"This is one event where Kiwanis members know they've all got to be here," said Kiwanis Secretary Angela Petri. "Everybody knows they have a job to do, and by working together we get the job done. We have a great time seeing members of the community, and it's all for a good cause."

Thousands are served every year. For their donation, folks get a steak (or burger or chicken) dinner with all of the trimmings, courtesy of on North Wellwood Avenue. The restaurant provides all of the meat, and muscle, as staffers work all day at the grill, serving up the good stuff for everyone to enjoy.

"The community plays a huge part in what we do every day, so it's great for us to be able to give back," said Lindy Outback Managing Partner Allison Storchevoy.

It was through the efforts of the late Larry Troiano that brought Outback aboard in the first place. Troiano was a Lindy Kiwanis president, and helped spearhead the Steak Fry in the first place, food and all.

"This was his big thing; he started it," Petri said. "They used to cook the steaks and everything themselves, the Kiwanis members. He was instrumental in getting Outback involved."

Now Outback handles the grill, but one tradition remains, as Kiwanians gather the night before to shuck the corn themselves.

Funds were also raised, as usual, via raffles at the event for more than 100 prizes ranging from gift baskets to bikes and HD TVs, all courtesy of local merchants.

With the 53rd annual Steak Fry wrapped up, Angela Petri says Lindenhurst Kiwanis is already looking forward to number 54.

"It's a year-long thing. We always have Steak Fry in the back of our head," she said.

The best cut of steak? In Lindenhurst that would be 'scholarship steak', courtesy of Lindy Kiwanis and its members.

 

Editor’s Note: Watch for a look back at the highlights.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?