Celebrate the Silver Spoon Awards Party

Toast the tastes of Cleveland and support the Arthritis Foundation.

Local foodies look forward to it every year. The Silver Spoon Awards party celebrates the best of Cleveland’s chefs and restaurants with a delicious and festive evening — all for a great cause: the Arthritis Foundation’s work to conquer arthritis and support those who live with it. Now in its 27th year, Silver Spoon has raised over $2.5 million for the fight against arthritis.

Evette Holloway has been working behind the scenes for six years at Silver Spoon, which usually sells out. She got involved because of her love of food, but when she saw that it benefits the Arthritis Foundation, she was hooked because it struck close to home. “I wanted to do something that was near and dear to my heart,” she says.

Holloway’s mother, a nurse for 34 years, has arthritis in both hands that’s so painful that she and her husband left their Cleveland home to winter in Arizona. It is now their permanent residence. And Holloway’s cousin, now in his late 30s, was diagnosed in his early 20s with psoriatic arthritis, which has left his hands and feet disfigured.

Holloway started as a volunteer, then became a planning committee member. Now, she’s also on the Arthritis

Foundation’s local board of directors, committed to bringing support and resources to the 1.3 million people — including 12,000 children — living with arthritis in Northeast Ohio.

The Silver Spoon Awards party celebrates Northeast Ohio’s best restaurants. Finalists are those who receive top votes in Cleveland Magazine’s poll.

“All the restaurants get really excited,” Holloway says. They showcase their best dishes, and people attending can sample from each of the participating restaurants as well as from international wineries participating.

“The Silver Spoon event is a tradition. It’s a way to broaden your palate, meet new people and bring awareness to the Arthritis Foundation,” Holloway adds. “The ultimate goal is to bring awareness to arthritis, bring in as many people as we can to be part of such a wonderful event and highlight the Arthritis Foundation and what we stand for to bring a cure for people who are suffering.”

Learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Arthritis Foundation by visiting arthritis.org/volunteer, or contact your local office at arthritis.org/localoffices/oh­cleveland.