Dine Out for a Good Cause, Komen Race for the Cure

The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® is hosting their annual “Dine Out for the Cure” this Thursday, June 9 where area restaurants donate a portion of their profits for the day, usually 20 percent, to the foundation.

Among the over 150 locations participating are Sugo’s, 10419 Clayton Rd., and Companion, 9781 Clayton Rd., are Dine Out “veterans” having participated since the event’s inception in 2009.

Michael Del Pietro, owner of Sugo’s, said his mother and sister are both breast cancer survivors. “So it hits home a little more for me than maybe some other restaurateurs because I lived the breast cancer situation.”

Del Pietro said his restaurant would be donating 25 percent of dinner proceeds to the event.

Clayton restaurants Portabella and Luciano’s Trattoria, both in the Del Pietro family, are also taking part in Dine Out.

Companion owner Josh Allen, said he and his sister, Jodi, have had a number of friends who “battled breast cancer.  We donate 20 percent of our sales for the day. The organization (Susan G. Komen Foundation) is a tremendous organization and does great work.”

Dawna Currigan, Dine Out chair and affiliate volunteer chair, said the idea for Dine Out for The Cure came about when they looked at how successful Dine Out for Life had become.

“We were looking for other ways for Komen to reach out to the community and have other fund raising events that would get another sector of the community involved,” she said. “We wanted to expand our horizons, and we know that there are people who want to support the race but may not able available that day or who may not be able to do it.”

She said that “everyone has to eat” and the idea was born.

The first year saw 125 locations signing up, and then last year, the participants grew to 138. This year, over 150 locations are participating in 17 counties in Missouri and Illinois.

“I went to eight different places last year on dining day,” Currigan said. “I would say eighty to ninety percent of the people there were there specifically because it was “Dine Out for the Cure.”

Sponsors for the event are Gen X Radio 100.3, MetLife, 93.7 The Bull, Rewind 103.3, and Sauce Magazine.

 The Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is a grassroots organization formed to fight breast cancer, and the St. Louis Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® became part of the network in 1999.

Dine Out for the Cure has raised $210,000 since its beginning in 2009.

So, beat the heat and get cool, eat well, and know you are helping others.

Sugo's, 10419 Clayton Rd.,  314-569-0400,  www.sugoscuccina.com

Companion, 9781 Clayton Rd., 314-352-4770,  www.companionstl.com