The second annual Penn State Night Out, an event that raises money for the Centre County United Way, will take place tonight at eight local bars and restaurants.

Sponsored by the Business Roundtable, each bar will donate $1 of every cover charge and each restaurant will donate $1 of every meal served to a fund benefiting the Centre County United Way, said Wally Okpych, president of the Business and Society Interest House (BASH).

He also said some of the establishments will have collection canisters for extra donations.

"We're hoping the people who normally don't go out will go out and the people who do go out will hit a restaurant beforehand or a bar afterwards," Okpych said.

He said the Night Out began last year stemming from the Smeal College of Business' appeal to help the families of Sept. 11 victims. Last year's event included 13 bars and restaurants and raised nearly $4,000 for the national United Way Sept. 11 fund.

Although there are fewer participating businesses than last year, Okpych still expects a decent turnout.

"I'm hoping for at least the same amount [of money raised] as last year," he said. "We did a lot more advertising this year."

Nate Kline (senior-finance), the chairman of the roundtable, said the Night Out event will also begin the "12 Days of Service" campaign of the roundtable, which consists of the presidents of all 32 Smeal student organizations. He said each day from Nov. 14 to 25 there will be at least one event.

"We expect this event to provide momentum for the 12 Days of Service and hope that it will help create awareness of community service needs and opportunities in the Penn State/State College community," Kline said.

He said he hopes the 12-day service event, which he conceived, will become an annual event for the Business Roundtable and Smeal College of Business.