How about a nice, early-autumn walk? Only about 3.5 miles and you get to stop a few times along the way for a beer or other refreshment. And a chauffeured ride out to Long Pond. And the best part – you get to help raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
Throw in some live music, raffles, a T-shirt and general frivolity, and it sounds like a pretty fun day, right?
For $25, you can participate in The Rendezvous’ annual fundraiser walk, which starts at the pub, 473 Riverside Street, on Saturday, October 4, at 10:15 a.m. (Walkers should arrive by 9:30.)
Rendezous Lounge owners Ed and Tracy Burke started the annual Rendezvous Dracut Walk when they bought the business four years ago, choosing a different charity each year. Last year, they donated to The Jimmy Fund of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
With a motto of “In this family, no one fights alone,” the Burkes have taken to heart the idea of giving back.
“My wife and I are simple working people,” Ed said. “We figured if we’re going to go into a business like this, we’re going to give back to the community. We made a promise. Tracy and I like to give back. Last Thanksgiving, we put together and donated 250 meals to the Lowell Transitional Living Center.”
The Rendezvous Dracut Walk starts on Riverside heading north, takes a left on Hampson and right on Parker Avenue to Primo Pizza for the first stop. Then it’s up Phineas Street to Lakeview Avenue and Tennis Plaza, 1734 Lakeview Avenue, for a stop at O’Hara’s. The next stop is Long Pond – but don’t worry, the folks from The Sandbar Beach Club & Grill, right on the pond on the Dracut-Tyngsborough line, will pick up the walkers and deliver them in style to the club and then back to Tennis Plaza, where the walk resume back east on Lakeview, right on Pleasant Street to The Rally Cap Pub, 95 Pleasant Street.
From there, it’s just a short walk back to the Vous, where the duo Chris & Paul will provide music starting at 2 p.m., for the rest of the festivities.
The Rendezvous Lounge holds a special place in Ed’s and Tracy’s hearts. On their first date, they ended up there for a nightcap.
“We came back here and danced,” Ed said.
They became regulars, and four years ago an opportunity arose to buy the lounge, which has been there since the 1960s.
The Burkes take the idea of family to heart. They have a lot of regulars (though they always welcome new customers), and those patrons become part of the family.
“That’s always the way it’s been,” Ed said. “Anyone who comes in here, if their family needs something, we’re there. There’s an older gentleman who comes in all the time. His wife broke her hip, and they’re having a tough time. I told the staff he drinks for free.”
Walkers pay $25, and they receive a T-shirt, the after-walk party, a 50/50 raffle, and a chance to win raffle prizes, including gift cards to Grazie Italian Restaurant, Smith & Wollensky and more. Ed and Tracy are still looking for sponsors and donations of raffle items. Anyone interested in helping out can call Ed at 617-699-7733.