STORY BY CORIE LYNN
Whether it is an Agatha Christie novel or a Sherlock Holmes story, many people find mysteries irresistible.
For the FHSU Criminal Justice Club, that creates the perfect opportunity for a fundraiser.
On Saturday, October 27, the club will present “A Dinner to Die For”: a murder mystery dinner that will be held at Thirsty’s Brew Pub and Grill.
Audience members can expect an evening of excitement at this interactive event; according to Dr. Tamara Lynn, the faculty advisor to the Criminal Justice Club, the mystery will be centered on a 1920’s New York City jazz club run by the mob.
The events that will unfold at the jazz club have yet to be revealed, but the evening’s menu is no mystery.
Besides the entertainment, the price of the tickets include drinks, dinner, and dessert.
“We will be serving chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, a vegetable, rolls (all provided by Thirsty’s Brew Pub & Grill), and cupcakes for dessert (made by Augustine’s Bakery),” said Dr. Lynn.
For the Criminal Justice Club, however, this is more than an evening of fun and food.
“A Dinner to Die For” is only one of the fundraisers that the group has organized in preparation for their national competition.
“The money will go toward offsetting costs for members to travel to and compete at the national American Criminal Justice Association – Lambda Alpha Epsilon (ACJA-LAE) conference in the spring,” said Dr. Lynn. “The 2019 conference will be in Baltimore, MD.”
She went on to explain how heavily involved in the preparation of the fundraiser the Criminal Justice students are.
Their roles included planning the event, decorating the venue, selling tickets, and even participating in the dinner as audience members. The students also took the time to gather donations for a silent auction that will occur along with the dinner.
This isn’t the only fundraiser that the club has organized.
“The club held a Krispy Kreme Doughnut fundraiser earlier this month,” said Dr. Lynn.
She continued to explain that no other fundraisers are scheduled as of yet, but students are beginning to plan spring activities and have a job fair planned for October 25.
“The club also invited students from Political Science, Sociology, Social Work, and Psychology to attend the career fair, as we hope to expose as many students to potential career opportunities as possible,” Dr. Lynn said.
However, the reason that the club chose “A Dinner to Die For” as one of this fall’s fundraisers is in part because of popular demand.
“The club hosted ‘Murder at Mardi Gras’ in the spring, 2018, which was our first murder mystery dinner,” said Dr. Lynn, “The evening was a success and many requested that we do it again, which is the reason for this fall’s event.”
As Saturday draws near, the Criminal Justice students ready themselves for the fundraiser they need for the spring competition. They, and the audience members in attendance are ready for evening intrigue and excitement.