Skies were generally clear for the start of barbecuing dozens of tri tips on Saturday morning, but intermittent rain still fell during the day, making for a somewhat soggy Sober Grad fundraiser.

Nevertheless, several Escalon High School seniors helped out at the event, which saw drivers pull up curbside at El Portal Middle School and have a full tri tip dinner for four delivered to their vehicles.

Co-coordinator Debbie Leal said going into the event on Saturday, they had sold 180 tickets so still had some dinners available. Several people, she added, sought to purchase just a tri tip for later barbecuing themselves, and they were able to sell some of the meat by itself as well, most planning to barbecue for Sunday’s championship football games.

The drive thru dinner is a major fundraiser for the annual Sober Grad all night party put on for graduating Escalon High School seniors. Those seniors that worked at the event will receive some money off the price of their admission ticket to the event. Students whose parents sold a certain number of dinner tickets also receive money off.

“We have some students that will get $10 off their ticket,” noted Leal.

While the grill was fired up outside El Portal, potatoes were baking inside and crews also came in during the afternoon to prepare the dinner bags – the paper bags provided by Big Boy Market – which included the tri tip, four baked potatoes, a bag of salad, a loaf of French bread and a two-liter bottle of soda.

Helping bag up potatoes was senior Casey Turner.

“My brother went to it (Sober Grad) his senior year and loved it,” Casey said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Organizers plan for over 200 meals, so well over 800 potatoes had to be baked and bagged early Saturday, a crew of volunteers coming together to get the job done.

Eight seniors and one underclassman turned out to help deliver the meals on Saturday evening, assuring that diners got their ‘to go’ meals quickly and efficiently.