WAUKEGAN - Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Catholic Charities’ Lake County Services. Catholic Charities will hold its 9th annual Meals on Wheels Dinner Dance and Silent Auction Saturday, March 17, at Maravela’s Banquets in Fox Lake to raise money for its Meals on Wheels program.

The Meals on Wheels Dinner Dance is the one annual fundraiser for the county’s Meals on Wheels program. The event will include dinner, dancing, a silent auction and raffles.

Lake County mayors Kristina Kovarik of Gurnee and Leon Rockingham of North Chicago will chair the event. Both are regular drivers for the Meals on Wheels program. Frank Phillips who recently retired as Director, Senior Community Services will be honored with the Silver Plate Award for his 24 years of service to the program.

The annual benefit’s proceeds help make up the difference between the cost of the program and the amount of funding Catholic Charities Lake County Senior Community Services receives. Although major funding comes from government sources, private donations are essential to keep pace with the increasing local demand for services.

Catholic Charities coordinates the Meals on Wheels program throughout Lake County. About 500 volunteer drivers delivered over 120,000 meals in 2006 to 765 homebound persons who had no one to assist them with food purchases or preparation. Volunteer drivers are private citizens, church groups of all denominations, corporate teams, and volunteers from Great Lakes Navy Base. The program also served 42,663 meals to 2,418 seniors at two senior centers and six community nutrition sites.

Tickets for the Meals on Wheels Dinner Dance are $50 per person and can be purchased by calling Catholic Charities at (847) 782-4119.

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik and North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham delivering meals to seniors. Call Martha Hacker 847-782-4115.

Now in its 90th year, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago is the largest private, not-for-profit social service agency in the Midwest, annually assisting 1.1 million persons in Cook and Lake counties without regard to religious, ethnic or economic background. Catholic Charities fulfills the Church's role in the mission of charity by providing compassionate, competent, professional services that strengthen and support individuals, families and communities