Welcome to the Annual Ames Iowa Luncheon Web Site. 

The following is a note form Roger Spratt who started the Ames get together several years ago.

 I initiated the first Ames get together 21 years ago at my house.  It was a potluck affair.  We had 44 people in attendance.  The next year it was again held at our home.  More than 60 people showed up and it was raining--had people everywhere: on the patio, in the house and in the garage--(had to do a fast cleaning of the garage that day).  Then we held it several other places like Apache Wells and another park I can't remember.  Then it was decided it would be easier to have a breakfast at some place that could hold us all.  Luby's in the Superstition Mall was our home for a number of years.  (Sandy Johnson can give you more details about these years at Luby's).  However three years ago right after the Ames Breakfast Luby's closed at the Mall.  I scrambled to find another place--I found Picadilly on S. Gilbert Road in Mesa.  Three weeks before the breakfast--I received a call from the Manager saying that they were closing and would not be able to honor our breakfast reservations.  The scramble was on and I found a less than ideal situation at the Old Country  Buffet--we had to share the area with regular patrons because they had just started serving breakfast.  Needless to say, it was not a very pleasant experience for anyone.  Tanny Latuska (AL) recommended EVIT based on some of her friends from South Dakota having a meal there.  I researched it and found out it was an "ideal" place for our lunch.  Total privacy for the Ames group, large enough to accommodate everyone wishing to attend, great meeting room with all of the amenities of a banquet hall, delicious food at a very reasonable price (very large portions and very well prepared and presented).  It has been a consensus to continue to hold it at EVIT even with a price increase it is still the best place for the group to meet.