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Eating out will help terror victims Mail Tribune / Drew Fleming Head Chef Ted Raymone at Caterina's in Jacksonville prepares a golden chanterelle bruschetta for patrons' dinners Tuesday. Caterina's is one of more than two dozen local restaurants participating in a nationwide effort to donate portions of meal sales Thursday to victims and families of the Sept. 11 tragedies. By JONEL ALECCIA It's not every day that eating out is a patriotic act. But come Thursday, a month exactly after terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., Rogue Valley diners can wave their forks along with their flags. Dozens of area restaurants - from fast food to fine dining - have joined a national effort to donate portions of proceeds from meal sales to help victims and families of the Sept. 11 tragedies. "If every restaurant in every city would do something like that, we could raise a lot of money," said Catherine Moore, owner of Caterina's Trattoria in Jacksonville. Here's where you can be part of it The following area restaurants are participating in Dine for America or the Windows of Hope Family Relief Fund to raise money for victims and families who suffered in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. DINE FOR AMERICA ASHLAND: The Beanery Chateaulin Restaurant Green Springs Inn CAVE JUNCTION: Wild River Brewing and Pizza Co. CENTRAL POINT: Shari's JACKSONVILLE: Caterina's MEDFORD: Adam's Deli and Catering Dairy Queen Elmer's Pancake and Steak House International House of Pancakes Kim's Restaurant McGrath's Fish House Outback Steakhouse Red Baron Restaurant and Lounge Regency Grill/Rogue Regency Inn Rooster's Homestyle Cooking and Pies Shari's Restaurant Sizzler Restaurant Taco Time WHITE CITY: Apple Peddler Dairy Queen WINDOWS OF HOPE FAMILY RELIEF FUND ASHLAND: Amuse Pilaf Primavera Restaurant and Catering The Peerless Restaurant JACKSONVILLE: Gogi's Moore and other local restaurant owners have joined organizers of two nationwide aid efforts: Dine for America, which donates funds to Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, and the Windows of Hope Family Relief Fund, which will provide help for families of members of the food and beverage industry who died during destruction of the World Trade Center. Participants range from Tom and Leah Hawkins, owners of the new Dairy Queen in south Medford, to Michael Donovan, owner of Chateaulin restaurant in Ashland. At the DQ, Tom Hawkins figures he might come up with $250 or $300 on Thursday, or about 11 percent of a regular day's gross sales. That's the amount the Oregon Restaurant Association and the national Dine for America organizers have suggested as a base donation. At Chateaulin, Donovan hopes to accrue "a couple thousand dollars" from donated funds, including a full day's wages contributed by a handful of employees. "My staff came to me and wanted to do something," Donovan said. "I haven't really put any pressure on them. It's like, this is coming from your hearts. If you want to give that way, fine. If you want to give in a different way, that's fine, too." The idea has appealed to diners such as Liz Smith of Jacksonville, who made reservations for five Thursday at Caterina's. It's a small way to help out, said Smith. She also wanted to support Moore, who offered food and other aid to travelers stranded on Sept. 11 . Carlene Hester of Ashland has reservations for six at Chateaulin. She bumped a scheduled birthday dinner ahead by a day to coincide with Dine for America. For several local restaurants, the chance to aid families of restaurant workers was especially important. The Windows of Hope fund encourages participating restaurants and food service sites to donate at least 10 percent of the day's proceeds to the cause. "You have to pick what hits your own little heartstrings," said Stu Stein, chef at the Peerless Restaurant in Ashland. "We picked this because it goes directly to the workers and their families. If it ever happened to us, we hope it would be the same." For more information, check these Web sites: www.ora.org or www.windowsofhope.org. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.