EURE – It was a perfect night for seafood lovers.

With the temperature hovering just north of the freezing mark…enough to see your breath as it met the crisp, late winter air…folks bundled up and left their cozy homes for a trip to A&W Outback on White Oak Road on Friday, March 4.

Inside, the steam rising from the oyster roaster was enough to keep a soul warm, but there were other ways as well, to include a standing room only crowd that packed to tiny building located behind the home of Wade and Ann Askew. They played host to a fundraiser for GEMS (Gates Emergency Ministries).

The lip-smacking menu included seafood fresh from the salt waters of the ‘Carolina coast – oysters and shrimp steamed to perfection, along with homemade clam chowder (made from the recipe of Ann’s father), chili, corn on the cob, ham biscuits and chicken wings.

While the patrons of the $30 per plate, all-you-can eat meal left satisfied, the real winner was GEMS and those served by the organization who may be a bit down on their luck and unable to afford to be food on their tables.

“You never know when your luck may take a turn for the worst and you’ll need an organization such as GEMS to help feed your family,” said Ann Askew. “That’s why Wade and I, along with our volunteers, put on this event…to help the less fortunate.”

The Askews staged a similar event in March of 2011.

“We had a bigger crowd this year,” she said. “We only planned to sell 100 tickets, but we would up closer to 125. We had people calling on Friday for tickets.”

Mrs. Askew said between ticket sales and the corporate sponsors, she hoped to generate $4,000 for GEMS.

“We also asked those who purchased a ticket to bring no-perishable food items, canned goods and the like, to donate to GEMS,” she said.

“I hope what we did will help GEMS and help the good people of Gates County who find themselves a bit down on their luck right now. I’m aware of the unemployment rate and we have citizens here in the county who are out of work right now and are in need of our help,” noted Wade Askew.

Because most all food banks operate on a day-to-day basis, donations of money and food such as was the case with Friday’s fundraiser will go a long way in helping provide for those in need in Gates County. The money raised will all be used towards the purchase of food, either from the Food Bank of the Albemarle or from local retail outlets.

The Askews said the event would not have been possible without the assistance of a long list of sponsors. Their monetary contributions paid for the food served on Friday night, meaning the price paid per ticket all went to GEMS.

Those corporate/individual sponsors included Ace Hardware, AgCarolina Farm Credit, Ashton Lewis Lumber Company, A&W Outback, Bagley’s Inc., Bennett’s Creek Guest House, Bertie Staffing, LLC, Bobby and Anne Hollowell, B&S Enterprises Inc., Bundy Logging Company, Dixie Auto Parts, East Coast Equipment, Gates County Farm Bureau, Gates County Farm Service, Gates Custom Milling, Inc., Gates House, Godwin & Godwin, Golden Skillet / Southern Delight Catering, G&M Sales, Hydraulic Hose Depot, Jernigan Oil, Joe Greene, Johnson & McLean CPA, Hunter’s Funeral Home, Lassiter’s Portable Toilets, Lilley International Inc., Miller Funeral Home, Nucor Steel, Pepsi Bottling of Elizabeth City, Rick and Jamie Burns, and Todd’s Pharmacy.

“Our sponsors were such a big part of what we wanted to do here,” Wade Askew said. “We, on behalf of GEMS, really appreciate their help. Others gave donations as well.”