Toby Keith — whose country classics include “I Love This Bar”, “American Solider” and “Red Solo Cup” — has donated an autographed guitar in a bid to help the American Legion Post 249 raise funds to upgrade and expand their 91-year-old downtown meeting hall.
The autographed guitar is one of the auction items being offered during the post’s Friday the 13th Unlucky Roast” of Tevani and Jeff Liotard set for March 13 at 7 p.m. at the Manteca Senior Center, 295 Cherry Lane.
Also included in the live auction are the autographed lyrics to “Bad to the Bone” signed by recording artist George Thorogood who performed the song with “The Destroyers”.
A limited number of the $30 tickets are still available at the Legion Hall, 220 E. Yosemite Ave., the Manteca Chamber of Commerce at 183 W. North St., and Tipton’s at 169 W. Yosemite Ave. Tickets are also available by calling either Art Smith at (209) 482-5571, Jack White at (209) 481-1008, or Wendy Benavides at (925) 784-4062.
Roasters include Eryn Bowers. Don Widmer, Steve DeBrum, Charlie Halford, and others.
The dinner is being catered by Touch of Class Catering.
Among those sponsoring the event supporting veterans so far are Raymus Homes, Central Valley Association of Realtors, Casino Real, Seniors Aiding Fire Effort (SAFE), Golden Valley Federal Credit Union, Steve DeBrum, Elite Shutters, Manteca Morning Rotary, Manteca Development Group, Manteca Sunrise Kiwanis, and F&M Bank.
The Liotards own several Mt. Mike’s Pizza locations have a long list of community service endeavors. Tevani, who is also a Manteca Unified School District educator, is the advisor to the Manteca Interact Service Club for teens. The two for the past decade have hosted the Manteca Community Thanksgiving dinner out of their restaurant.
Jeff is one of the driving forces behind the annual Manteca Rotary Super Bowl Sunday Omelet breakfast at the MRPS Hall that last year served more than 1,000 people. He also travels to Honduras every year as part of a Manteca Rotary project led by optometrist Fred Stellhorn to provide eye glasses to those that can’t afford them. He also has been the downtown Santa for the last two years.
Their list of community endeavors is endless. They range from one-night efforts such as tending bar for the annual Manteca Soroptimist Holiday Affair at the Bank of Stockton that raises money for teen crisis counselling and more to organizing drives — and delivering what they collect — to those in need such as the 2017 Paradise fire victims.
Both have been inducted into the Manteca Hall of Fame for community service.
