Tony Roma’s restaurant is celebrating its silver anniversary at the Promenade in Pacific Beach with a big “thank you” to the community for 25 years of support. Thanks will come in the form of fundraisers all throughout 2012 on the 25th of every month. Each celebration will feature food, drinks, raffles, a silent auction and a cask of various Karl Strauss beers, available until each cask is tapped out. Proceeds from the drinks and the evening’s food tabs benefit a variety of charities, represented by special guests at each event, according to Tony Roma’s owners, Dan and Peggy Mazzella. The couple took over daily operations at the restaurant about two years ago from one of Peggy’s brothers. It was Peggy’s late father, Stephen Stiefel, who opened the franchise at Mission Boulevard and Pacific Beach Drive. The March 25 event, which runs from 5 to 8 p.m., will benefit the SDSU women’s pole-vaulting team. Champion pole-vaulters Brad Walker and Stacy Dragila will be the honored guests. The group will auction off three seats each to dine with Walker and Dragila. The April 25 celebration will benefit local schools. In addition to food and drinks — namely, root beer — there will be a crafts fair with items made by the children. The May event will benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Actress Kristy Swanson, who was the original Buffy Summers in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” will tap the cask. Bill Walton, California Sports Hall of Famer and NBA Hall of Famer, tapped the cask at the January event. Proceeds also went to the Challenged Athletes Foundation. The February event benefited the San Diego Syracuse Alumni Fund. Dan and Peggy are Syracuse University alumni and the local group regularly watches its games at the restaurant. The Mazzellas are still in the process of booking the rest of the year’s events. Although they haven’t set a date yet, one night will benefit Green Beach, a charity that Tony Roma’s sponsors. Dan incorporated the organization, which is dedicated to providing housing for disabled veterans “to restore an independent and productive life for them.” Green Beach (www.greenbeachamer-ica.org) has retrofitted its first house in San Diego to make it handicap assessable in exchange for a reduced-cost, long-term lease. Marine Lance Cpl. Lance Weir, a quadriplegic who was injured during active service, will live in the house and pay the rent, while the owner will get a tax write-off, according to Dan. Weir will be the guest for the Green Beach fundraiser. The major criteria for the featured nonprofits is that proceeds go directly to the people they serve. Times of the celebrations vary, so check www.facebook.-com/TRPacificBeach or www.tony-romassandiego.com for upcoming silver celebrations. Peggy, an architect, and Dan, an attorney, said they have been involved in the restaurant “since before Day 1,” when Peggy’s dad told them he planned to buy a franchise. The restaurant has remained a family affair, with the Mazzellas as equity owners even before taking an active role. Today, their 26-year-old son, Matt, is the manager, although Peggy and Dan are at the restaurant at least three nights a week. Dan said that while Peggy works, his major duty is “to walk around and say ‘Hi’ to everyone.” Tony Roma’s is part of a national corporate restaurant group that opened in 1972 and became popular for its babyback ribs. The Mazzellas admit they knew little about running a restaurant when they took over. But it actually turned out to be easier than they thought, Peggy said, particularly because it is a franchise. Both enthusiastic environmentalists, they’ve gone “green,” down to the corn-resin straws and disposable containers for butter and side orders. They recycle plastic containers, cardboard, glass and cooking oil. Though the company has added a variety of choices to its longtime barbecued chicken and ribs menu, the babyback ribs remain a big draw. “Not everyone in a party of four eats ribs,” Peggy said. As for recipes for the special sauces that have made the ribs famous, Dan said, “If I told you what’s in them, I’d have to kill you. I’d rather just bribe you with our good food.” The silver anniversary celebrations are in keeping with the couple’s longtime desire to remain community-oriented. The restaurant sponsors local soccer and softball teams and the San Diego Lifeguards Asssociation. The Mazzellas have been involved with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Walk and the Marshall Faulk Foundation, which supports programs that teach youth the importance of building character. • Tony Roma’s 4110 Mission Blvd., (877) 736-6606, www.tonyromassandiego.com