Consider this: 150 pounds of spaghetti, 70 gallons of tomato sauce, hundreds of garlic rolls and dozens of homemade desserts will, once again, fill the stomachs of an estimated 900 Homestead and South Miami-Dade residents.

It's time for the 59th annual Italian dinner of Boy Scouts Troop 69.

This year, it will be Saturday, Oct. 11, starting at 4:30 p.m.

The dinner -- one of the biggest in the area -- has served as a major fundraiser for the troop that was founded in 1946 by the Princeton Businessmen's Association.

The dinner has become a much-anticipated social event with hundreds enjoying a night of spaghetti and fellowship.

''It's become quite a tradition in the community,'' said Bill Broughton, the dinner's organizer.

The dinner was started more than a generation ago, just after troops were returning from World War II and families were returning to normalcy after years of war and the Great Depression.

Now the dinner keeps building on itself.

It draws attendees that include former scout masters, scouts, and, of course, the current members of Troop 69. Even some travel from college to help out with the event.

The current scouts do not cook the meal themselves, however. This was tried on the very first Italian dinner and proved to be a disaster. So, the adults took over the cooking, while the scouts help serve the food.

At $4 for children and $7 for adults, this all-you-can-eat meal has become a fun way to build and support a community with a small-town feel, Broughton said.

Proceeds will go directly to the troop's annual fund, which helps pay for its supplies and camping trips.

The Italian dinner will be from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Boy Scout Hut, 15415 SW 256th St.

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