Radcliff Women Serve Pasta and Lion King for Good Cause

When Glenda Curry sat down at three empty plates Tuesday night, she wasn't planning to eat alone. She was waiting for her daughter and niece to join her for what she called "girls' night" at the Radcliff Woman's Club fundraiser.

The Radcliff Woman's Club traded their typical spring vendor fair for something more memorable this year. Their "Pasta, Performance and Pastries" event at Colvin Community Center combined homemade Italian dishes, live theater, and a meet-and-greet with local election candidates.

Club president Kristin Ramirez wanted to try something fresh. "We wanted something more unique," she explained, noting that adding entertainment and candidate desserts felt like a great combination for the community.

Club members prepared heaping bowls of pasta salad and other Italian favorites while families filed in for dinner. Young Charlestyn Pyles sat wide-eyed as actors from Allegro Dance Theatre performed scenes from "The Lion King Jr."

The show featured local kids bringing Disney magic to life, with Avery Ditto as Timon and Ellee Smith as Pumba discovering a sleeping Simba played by Joe Schory. Carol Zagar, who owns Allegro Dance Theatre, brought several performers from their recent full production to entertain the crowd.

Between bites of pasta and slices of dessert, attendees mingled with candidates running for Radcliff City Council and mayor. Eleven of fourteen council candidates showed up, along with three of four mayoral hopefuls and two county-wide candidates.

Some candidates baked their own desserts while others picked up treats from the market. Newcomers and incumbents alike served sweets and answered questions from voters in a relaxed, friendly setting far removed from formal campaign events.

Sunny's Take

This is what community building looks like when creativity meets purpose. Instead of another forgettable fundraiser, the Radcliff Woman's Club created an evening where neighbors could eat together, enjoy local talent, and have real conversations with future leaders. Glenda Curry got her girls' night, kids got to see their friends perform on stage, and voters got face time with candidates over homemade desserts. Sometimes the best way to strengthen a community is simply giving people a good reason to gather in the same room.

The event proved that fundraising doesn't have to feel like fundraising when everyone leaves fuller and more connected than when they arrived.