By Jennifer Feinberg
The Progress
Mar 07 2006

Bravo Restaurant and Lounge in the heart of Downtown Chilliwack is once again the only participating Fraser Valley restaurant in the upcoming Dining Out for Life AIDS fundraiser.
The annual charity event sees about 180 restaurants from Whistler to Chilliwack donating 25 per cent of their total food sales on March 23. Donated funds go to helping Loving Spoonful and Friends for Life, two organizations which provide free food and assistance for people living with HIV/AIDS.
“We host a number of different fundraisers each year but I’ve been involved with Dining Out For Life since its inception in the 1990s,” explains Bravo owner Damian Du Plessis.
He jumped on board the Dining Out train when he managed the famed West End martini bar, Delilah’s.
“It’s become a tradition for a lot of people and it’s the single biggest fundraiser in B.C. every year,” he says. “I’m always struck by the symbolism. By dining out with friends, you’re also putting food on the table for people who are too ill to provide good nutrition for themselves.”
This will be Bravo’s fourth year participating and the Yale Road establishment donated about $2,000 after last year’s event.
“Everybody had their reasons for doing it, ranging from very personal stories to a deep sense of altruism,” he says.
He hopes other local business people in the service industry will heartily embrace the cause.
“I wish more people would become interested and get involved next year,” he says. “I found that our clientele makes the effort because they approve of what the event stands for.”
Diners from across the Lower Mainland actually seek out participating restaurants, he says. One Vancouver couple sought them out online and then made Chilliwack their dinner stop on the way to Harrison Hot Springs for the weekend.
“I think we’re becoming a good vehicle for people from all over who want to help out with Dining Out and participate on that day,” says Bravo co-owner Louie De Jager. “We know there’s quite a lot of interest and the people who show up are always in a jovial mood. They know they’re here for a good reason.”
The event has raised more than $13 million dollars for AIDS services agencies like over the past 14 years.
Tickets for the two-course meal at Bravo will feature a choice of starters and main courses. Those who are unable to join the diners can donate online to www.diningoutforlife.com.
Call 604-792-7721 for reservations to Bravo’s event on March 12, the Dining Out For Life AIDS benefit.
jfeinberg@theprogress.com