Cultures meet for food and fun
Thuy-Dzuong Nguyen
Issue date: 4/28/06 Section: News
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The 28th annual ISU Dinner featured ethnic food, entertainment, raffle and sales booths.
The total number of guests and volunteers came to more than 300 and the ticket sales for the dinner party to about $2,500, according to ISU President Greena George. About $100 in donations were collected. ISU also donated all leftover food to the Campus Kitchens program.
"I'm psyched that [the dinner] turned out really great," George, a junior, said.
Previous years' ISU dinner parties did not sell out, but this year was largely a success. Organizers like George and Ann Kilzer have emphasized that the volunteer help was fantastic.
This event was a collaboration among African, Chinese, Filipino, Latino, First Nations, Japanese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese students and student unions. A large number of volunteers brought the total number of participating students to more than 50.
For the ethnic dishes, ISU supplied the ingredients and students contributed their time in the kitchen and at merchandise tables. Student organizers served 10 dishes for the ethnic dinner and entertainment came to 12 performances. Because the ISU dinner performances were running ahead of schedule, Saudi Arabian students put together an impromptu song and performed it two hours later.
"I loved the variety," said Student Employment Manager Robin Guevara, who was able to stay through part of the dinner party. She especially enjoyed the Turón, a fried banana dessert from the Philippines. It was also great to see students "transformed" in their traditional clothing, Guevara said.
The entertainment began when guests were seated with dinner. Senior Eloisa Ruano Gonzalez Perez-Molina and junior Cameron Steinback served as emcees for the evening.
Ryan Olson, a Gonzaga senior who attended as a guest, found the dinner party "very engaging, very entertaining and very educational."