CARTHAGE — For the second year in a row, an independent Special Olympics team for adults will host a public supper at the Town Hall to raise money to participate in the Maine summer and winter games.

The supper will take place from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 5. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children ages 5 to 12.

Melody Hoover, head coach of Team Opportunities, said the team’s first public supper went “very well,” and they learned a lot from the experience.

“When we did the supper last year, it was our first one, so we were kind of figuring it out as we went along,” she said, “but it still went really good. The most important thing is that the members of our team got to interact with the community.”

“We’re an independent team, separate from teams with participants from facilities,” Hoover said. “The people on our team do not come from any specific facility. We’re also one of the few Special Olympic teams that are cross-county. There’s people from South Paris, Dixfield, Rumford and some from Franklin County.”

Hoover said Thursday that her team has 13 members, eight of whom will help at the public supper.

“I think it’s really good that they get to integrate into the community and help out,” Hoover said. “Some of them are helping to cook food for the supper.”

There are only minor changes to the team’s second public supper, Hoover said.

“Last year, for the supper, we had a lot of beans, so this year, we wanted to have more of a variety,” she said. “We’ll still have beans, but we’re also going to have different types of casseroles, some American chop suey and different pies and cookies.”

“The Chinese auction is also going to be much bigger,” Hoover said. “We have so many gift certificates that were donated to us this year. The town of Carthage has really stepped up again.”

For more information, call Hoover at 357-1421.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com