WAEB 790 news radio morning personality Bobby Gunther Walsh hosted the 11th annual spaghetti and meatball dinner Oct. 12 at Asbury United Methodist Church, South Whitehall, to raise funds for the Allentown Rescue Mission.

Gunther has been involved in a variety of charities, including the Center for Animal Health and Welfare Animals, the Wounded Warriors Project and the Children's Home of Easton, since he started at the radio station almost three decades ago.

"But we realized we weren't doing anything for the homeless," Gunther said. "So, we decided to do something to help the Allentown Rescue Mission."

As he is known for his world famous meatballs, Gunther wondered about having a spaghetti dinner fundraiser.

Gunther thought the dinner might raise about $10,000.

"Then, we came up with the idea of people sponsoring $10 for every meatball," he explained.

Attending the dinner was Rescue Mission Board member Dean Browning.

"We've already raised almost $73,000 in meatball sponsorships," he said at the dinner. "This should be our best year yet."

The room at Asbury Methodist Church was packed with dinner guests, as well as volunteers from all over the Lehigh Valley wearing red shirts.

Additional support was given by Mission staff, including Clarence Murry, case worker, and Development Director Dawn Godshall.

Asbury Church Business Administrator Tom Gibson, president of the Rescue Mission Board of Directors and Interim CEO, also was on hand to help where needed.

"Gunther has been a great sponsor for us and we really appreciate his help," Gibson said.

According to a press release emailed by Godshall Oct. 14, the dinner brought in $84,460 to fund the mission's programs and services.

"I am overwhelmed by the generosity of the people who came out to support this year's dinner," said Gibson in the release. "We are also extremely grateful to WAEB radio host Bobby Gunther Walsh, who has helped us to raise over $468,000 since the spaghetti dinner started in 2003."

An estimated 840 people attended the event.

Keyboardist Steve Ziminsky provided musical entertainment and door prizes were donated by local businesses and organizations.

Almost 100 volunteers, who worked around the clock in the days leading up the dinner, helped roll more than 2,100 of Gunther's homemade, secret-recipe beef meatballs and 1,100 turkey meatballs.

They also prepared more than 160-gallons of sauce and cooked 180-pounds of spaghetti.

Listeners called in during Gunther's show to sponsor meatballs for $10 each. The call-in pledges and matching hour sponsors raised about $73,300.

An additional $11,160 was donated to the mission from event sponsors and attendees at Saturday's event.