COARSEGOLD – The Freedom Fest Committee is hosting a spaghetti dinner and auction to raise funds for the 4th of July Family Freedom Fest, on Monday, Apr. 15 at the Coarsegold Community Center.The event is sponsored by the Oakhurst/Coarsegold Tea Party, and will start at 4 p.m. with a “Taxed Enough Already” street rally. Participants are invited to bring flags and signs, or just show up and there will extra available.
At 6 p.m. there will be a spaghetti dinner, featuring speaker Igor Birman, a refugee from the former Soviet Union, and now Chief of Staff for Congressman Tom McClintock, who will be speaking on the topic: ‘Taxed Enough Already? Give FREEDOM A Chance.”
Born in the Soviet Union in 1981, Birman has seen firsthand the misery that tyrannical government inflicts upon its people and learned the precious nature of freedom witnessing his parents struggle under the communist regime. After a decade of Soviet refusals to issue an exit permit, Birman and his family arrived in Northern California as refugees in 1994.
Two weeks later, Birman started high school at the age of 13 and spent his free time helping his parents open a small web-design business and build a prosperous future in their new country. By then a firm believer in the American Dream, Birman proudly became a U.S. citizen in 2001.
At the age of 16, Birman enrolled at the University of California, Davis, where he received a political science degree, having defended conservative principles as a student columnist. At 24, Birman graduated as Doctor of Law from Emory University, where he chaired the Federalist Society, and in the following year he was admitted to the State Bar of California.
In 2009, Representative Tom McClintock appointed Birman as his Chief of Staff, tasking him with managing operations of the Congressional office, serving as senior policy and strategy adviser, and making Birman the youngest Chief of Staff on Capitol Hill.
Throughout his life in America, Birman has not stopped promoting the ideals of freedom, the pursuit of which prompted his family to flee the U.S.S.R. Birman’s articles and opinion pieces have been published around the country and he has provided guest commentary on talk radio, NPR, C-SPAN and other California and national outlets.
An avid skier and instrument-rated private pilot, Birman splits his time between the Washington, D.C. area and Northern California.
Seating for the dinner and auction is limited, so please reserve your place now by contacting the Freedom Fest Committee at 866-565-1379 or email matp@sti.net.
“This is our main fundraiser for the 4th of July, Family Freedom Fest,” say organizers. “Please help support this event by making a donation, inviting friends, donating auction items, asking your friends for donations and auction items, posting and handing out fliers, forwarding this email, and volunteering to help.
“This is the 4th year for this free community event and it relies on the generous support of the community to make it happen,” say organizers. “Those making donations and providing auction items this coming week will be rewarded with free tickets to the Spaghetti Feed Fundraiser on Apr. 15.”
The suggested minimum donation for the spaghetti dinner is $10, ages 18 and under $5, and under age 5 is free.
Organizers urge everyone to get advance tickets so they can estimate food and so everyone will get a seat.
They are also looking for young people between the ages of 8 and 18 who would like to sing a patriotic song at this year’s 4th of July, Family Freedom Fest.
Rehearsals are on Thursday afternoons in Coarsegold, from 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. on Apr. 11, May 9, and every Thursday in June. The youth will perform around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 4th, at the Freedom Fest.
Jennifer Piccolotti, actress, dance, voice and drama teacher, will be directing the performance of ‘We the People’, a song that uses the words to the preamble of the Constitution.
Coarsegold Community Center is located at 35540 Highway 41, Coarsegold.
