A crowd gathered Monday night at David’s Catfish House for First National Bank and Trust’s annual Celebrity Waiter event, held each year to raise funds for the Atmore Relay for Life effort.

With 15 local business leaders, community organization members and other recognizable faces donating their time to selling tickets for the event, decorating tables and, of course, serving their esteemed guests FNB and T President Shep Marsh said this year’s event may have set the bar for future Celebrity Waiter installments.

“I felt last night was the best we have had,” Marsh said. “And it was confirmed this morning with feedback from a number of attendees. Everyone was up and there. It was a great sense of community.”

FNB and T Vice President of Developmental Operations Rene’ Godwin said the event has already raised over $8500 for Relay for Life with more expected to “trickle in” over the next week.

“We were very excited about the turnout,” Godwin said. “We’re extremely excited the Atmore community embraced this fundraiser. “

Godwin said FNB and T and Relay for Life owe a special thanks to the servers, cooks, volunteers and owners of David’s Catfish House for making the night one to remember.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who bought a ticket. To our 15 wonderful, devoted servers, the Area businesses that donated door prizes, John/Kathy Swift whose  out of town grill friends and Lamar Godwin – the steaks were prepared to perfection and so delicious. Also to Bull, Rob, Sheilo, Julie, Latonya, Janie and Kendrick for allowing us “amateurs” to play restaurant for a day.  This event absolutely could not happen without their assistance, expertise and patience.”