East County restaurants pitch in for Relay for Life event

Oakley participants of the Relay for Life Run are gearing up for this summer's event with a number of fund-raising activities. Several local restaurants are doing their part to help with the cause in the next few weeks by offering a venue for fundraising activities before the big event.
Relay for Life is a national fundraiser that takes place in local communities and the money raised is used the benefit cancer research. In Oakley it will be held at Freedom High School on May 2 and 3.

Mike's Beef 'n' Brew is joining with Brentwood restaurant Tailgaters and Bethel Island restaurant Tugs in offering a karaoke contest. The contest will offer karaoke qualifying dates throughout the month of April. Semi-finals and finals will take place April 25 and 26.

The idea for the karaoke contest came about when Oakley Councilmember Kevin Romick spoke with new Oakley restaurant owner Mike Fagan about offering some kind of fundraiser through his new place, Mike's Beef 'n' Brew.

"Kevin Romick and I have been friends a long time," Fagan said. "He and I worked on the Nunn Wilson fundraiser together and he asked what I could do for the Relay for Life and I offered the karaoke contest idea."

Fagan said that the three restaurants decided to work in conjunction with DBM Entertainment Deejay Danny Meinecke. Each restaurant will host the karaoke qualifying event a different day each week until the end of the month. Tailgators will host Thursday evenings from 9 p.m. to midnight; Mike's Beef 'n' Brew will host Friday and Saturday evenings from 9 p.m. to midnight; and Tugs will host qualifying 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

There is a $10 entry fee. If a participant fails to qualify at one location, he is welcome to try again at another location. There will be an entry fee at each location. Contestants must be at least 18 years or older, as the restaurants involved are all bar and grill style locations, Fagan said.

Meinecke has more than 70,000 songs on his play list and is likely to have all of the songs needed for the contest, Fagan said, but he said that contestants are welcome to bring their own music. On the final weekend, April 25 and 26, the finalist will be asked to perform on a stage ,which will be located by the Mike's Beef 'n' Brew restaurant in Cypress Square shopping center.
The three restaurants have donated cash awards, plus there will be other prizes for the event.

Along with this event, the local Relay for Life groups has also put together other restaurant fundraisers. Through April 30 Antioch restaurant Cocina Medina will be supporting the Relay For Life Luau 4 Life Team. Customers can pre-purchase a $10 dinner coupon. The coupon is good for the entire month of April and includes Taco, Enchilada or Bean and Cheese Burrito meal. Coupons can be purchased by calling Apryl at 925-207-6375 or e-mailing her at ald243@hotmail.com.

For more information on the karaoke contest, contact Mike's Beef 'n' Brew at 625-0292.