Approximately 200 people helped Bill Robinson, who headed the Mesa State College Theater Department from 1960-1988, celebrate his 85th birthday at Two Rivers Winery Sunday.

Many in attendance were friends from the theater community.

Several others knew Robinson from St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church or through Grand Valley Catholic Outreach, where Robinson is a board member.

Robinson also volunteers one day a week at the Outreach Day Center, where homeless people can take showers, do laundry, make telephone calls, receive mail and messages, and store possessions.

At previous birthday bashes, Robinson has told people he doesn’t need anything, but if you still want to give something, “buy a bag of beans or write a check to the food bank,” said Karen Bland, executive director of Grand Valley Catholic Outreach.

This year, Robinson requested that people — if they wished to give a gift — do so by donating money to help furnish Catholic Outreach’s Supportive Housing for the Homeless.

Twenty-three people will find housing in the apartments to be completed by July.