TUSCALOOSA, Ala – Doster Café, a student operated and managed restaurant at The University of Alabama, will be participating with thousands of restaurants across the United States for “Dine for America” Oct. 5 to raise funds to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Doster Café is one of 10 local restaurants participating in the event sponsored by the National Restaurant Association. All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

Located in Doster Hall on the UA campus, Doster Café serves lunch during the fall and spring semesters and is run completely by students majoring in restaurant, hotel, and meetings management, and food and nutrition in the College of Human Environmental Sciences.

Lunch will be served from 11 am to 1:30 pm. Tickets for this event will be $5, and patrons can either dine-in or get a carry-out. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door.

According to Steven C. Anderson, president of the National Restaurant Association, in 2001 Dine for America mobilized more than 8,000 restaurants and raised more than $20 million.

“We hope to exceed that goal with this effort. Restaurants are the cornerstone of local communities across the nation and that is especially evident in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the lives, homes and businesses of millions of Americans,” said Anderson

For a complete list of participating restaurants go to www.dineforamerica.org.

For more information or to purchase a ticket in advance, contact Stephanie Murrell at 205/348-6157.