Dyngus Day celebration raises money for addiction services

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The $15 you’ll spend to get into the Dyngus Day event at First United Methodist Church doesn’t just buy you unlimited Polish food and polka dance lessons, it also provides housing for women dealing with addiction. 

"It’s gotta cook more," said Deborah Mayers.

Mayers is head chef for the Upper Room Recovery Community’s second annual Dyngus Day celebration. 

She’s slaves at the stove, cooking all of the fixings that make for a tasty Dyngus Day dinner. 

"Polish sausage, sweet and sour cabbage, and buttered noodles," said Mayers. 

But people who dig into one of Deborah’s sausages tonight will also help cut down on the amount the Upper Room Recovery Center pay for it’s new women’s facility. 

"A couple of our partnering agencies had inquired of us, why don’t we provide services for women?" said director Richard Fox. "Then things just started falling into place and we stumbled into this gorgeous building and here we are.”

He says this house on North Main St. will provide transitional housing and counseling services for 14 to 20 women suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.

"There’s still many things we need to do," said Fox. 

But it needs fixed up before it can open this summer. So, the center is using a South Bend tradition to raise some of the estimated $50,000-100,000 it’ll take to get this place ready.

"Come and have a good time," said Fox.

All proceeds, helping the ones who need it most.

"What we’re talking about is a disease," said Fox. "We’re not talking about making bad people good people. We’re talking about helping sick people get well.”

This dinner is going on until 8 p.m. in the basement of the First United Methodist Church. The event is also alcohol free.