33 table sponsors offer delicious foods at 7th annual 'Taste of Cherokee County'
Event gets underway at 5:30 p.m. March 6 at First Baptist Church Life Center
The seventh annual "Taste of Cherokee County," the premier fundraising event of the Cherokee County chapter of the American Red Cross, will get underway Thursday, March 6, at 5:30 p.m. and continue until 8 p.m. in the Life Center at First Baptist Church of Gaffney.

FRIED ICE CREAM, ANYONE? - Kara Hames, Casie Deruvo and Mark Bunch prepare fried ice cream and shout "Olé" at a table sponsored by Hames Music at the American Red Cross' Taste of Cherokee last year. Louis Deruvo also helped prepare fried ice cream, but is not pictured.

John Cessarich from News Channel 4 will be the Red Cross' guest of honor. Cessarich, chief meteorologist for WYFF-TV4 in Greenville and host of the "John On The Road" program, will be delivering weather forecasts and speaking with participants.

Thirty-three table sponsors will be providing showcase quality food and drinks for one low admission price. Those attending can sample food from all of the tables and obtain information regarding the respective table sponsors.

An almost-silent auction will be hosted by Dennis Fowler during the evening that will include tickets to Disney World, a handmade Red Cross blanket, a hat autographed by NASCAR Sprint Cup's Jeff Gordon, an autographed NASCAR racing suit donated by Gibbs Racing, gym membership and spray tan donated by Your Best Body, auto repair certificates donated by Sam Burns Chevrolet, and many others.

Last year's event raised $8,000 and this year the organization has set a goal of $20,000.

Tickets are $15 per person in advance or $20 at the door. Children under 11 are free. Tickets may be purchased at American Red Cross, 405 N. Logan St., and Buford Street Drugs, 113 W. Buford St., in Gaffney or at Kirby's Flowers and Gifts, 101 W. Cherokee St., in Blacksburg.

Platinum event sponsors are Buford Street Drugs, Kiwanis Club of Gaffney, Nestlé and Spartanburg Nephrology Associates.