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2006 Archive: December

St. Francis Fall for Greenville Donates Record Funds
Released: Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Contact: Byron K. Rucker

Greenville, SC: The Board of Trustees of the St. Francis Fall for Greenville has announced several awards and donations which were made possible via the 25th Anniversary of the event this past October. The items announced today include charitable donations to various non-profit organizations, a newly-created endowed scholarship as well as the winner of the annual Pentathlon winner.

“This years’ event set some new records for attendance and restaurant involvement, which translates into record-setting opportunities for the many organizations that support our efforts,” stated Pete Dixon, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “With St. Francis coming on board with the festival, we were able to expand the relationships with corporate partners, non-profit organizations as well as make an impact with Greenville Tech as they expand their educational offerings. We feel that our commitment to the upstate can be strengthened as we grow, and these new avenues are important to us as a board.”

This year, a check for a record $62,000.00 was presented to local non-profit organizations, including $25,000.00 earmarked to 14 organizations that participated in the Volunteer Partner Program. Volunteer totals for the weekend included 8,089 hours worked by 1,650 volunteers. The 14 non-profits who received financial support from the event through the program are:

ORGANIZATIONS
Greenville Humane Society American Red Cross
SHARE Women Build
Operation Bear Hug Newcomers
Foster Parent Association Hands on Greenville
Roundtowners Family Connection
Blue Star Mothers Loaves and Fishes
Meals on Wheels Boy Scout Troop 260

* Special silver coins were earned by volunteers during St. Francis Fall for Greenville for extraordinary customer service acts during the weekend. Blue Star Mothers of the Upstate collected the most coins and received an additional $100.00 bonus for their cause.

Also in the overall donated amount was a $15,000.00 check to the Greenville Tech Foundation for a newly-created endowed scholarship to benefit students in the Hospitality and Culinary Programs to cover tuition and fees, along with expenses for the department infrastructure. The purpose of the fund is to benefit the Hospitality Education Department and to be used for such things as curriculum scholarship(s) for tuition, fees, books, and supplies awarded for up to one academic year; continuing education student scholarships, departmental activities; equipment; materials; supplies; faculty/staff development; student recruitment and retention, etc.

Additional benefactors include Meals on Wheels ($2,000), and the St. Francis Foundation Festival of Trees ($5,000). The Board of Trustees also voted unanimously to extend additional funds to Project Host (www.projecthost.org), Carolina Ballet Theatre (www.carolinaballet.org) and AID Upstate (www.aidupstate.org).

Each year, restaurants who are involved with the food offerings on Main Street have the opportunity to participate in competitions that are designed to challenge their staffs. Contests include a Waiters’ Race, Bartenders’ Mix-off, Tent Decoration, Silver Spoon and Team Trivia. The points earned from each competition are totaled to determine the annual Pentathlon Winner. This year’s winner was the Cazbah, and owner Audrey Stenger. Attached to this release is a full list of winners in each competition, who also received trophies and cash rewards.

2006 St. Francis Fall for Greenville
PENTATHLON & CONTESTS
PRIZES/CASH AWARDS/WINNERS

PENTATHLON OVERALL
1st $1,000 & trophy - The Cazbah
2nd $500 & plaque - Smoke on the Water
3rd $250 & plaque - Larkins on the River

WAITER’S RACE (Pentathlon event)
1st $500 & plaque - Jeff Windt of Blockhouse Oyster Bar
2nd $300 & plaque - Jennifer Gill of Barley’s Taproom
3rd $200 & plaque - Michael Threlkeld of Larkins on the River

BARTENDER’S MIX-OFF (Pentathlon event)
1st $500 & plaque - Nick Conti of The Cazbah
2nd $300 & plaque - Jay Simpson of Blue Ridge Brewing
3rd $200 & plaque - Stacey Wingate of Smoke on the Water

TENT DECORATING (Pentathlon event - judged)
1st $500 & plaque - Blue Ridge Brewing
2nd $250 & plaque - Smoke on the Water
3rd $150 & plaque - Blockhouse Oyster Bar/The Cazbah (tie)

TRIVIA GAME (Pentathlon event)
1st $400 & plaque - Devereaux’s
2nd $300 & plaque - Larkins on the River
3rd $100 & plaque - The Cazbah

SILVER SPOON TASTER’S CHOICE (Pentathlon event - judged)
1st $300 & plaque w/spoon - Two Chefs Deli
2nd $200 & plaque w/spoon - Sassafras Southern Bistro
3rd $100 & plaque w/spoon - Provencia at the Hyatt

SILVER SPOON PEOPLE’S CHOICE
1st $200 & plaque w/spoon - Sassafras Southern Bistro
2nd $100 & plaque w/spoon - Mimi’s Steakhouse of Japan
3rd $ 50 & plaque w/spoon - Sticky Fingers

ICE CARVING
Pro 1 1st $700 & plaque - Ice Occasions (Todd Dawson)
2nd $300 & plaque - Ice Age Sculpture (Edwin Hutchinson)
3rd $200 & plaque - Terry McLees

Pro 2 1st $500 & plaque - Landy Randolph (The Cazbah)
2nd $300 & plaque - Stacy Lindler (Embassy Suites)
3rd $200 & plaque - Edward Higginbotham (Westin Poinsett)

Novice 1st $300 & plaque - Jeffrey McClure
2nd $200 & plaque - Melissa Albanese
3rd $100 & plaque - Pam Turner

CHILI-COOKOFF
Pro 1st $1,000 & plaque- Blue Ridge Brewing (Rich Flagg)
2nd $ 400 & plaque- Foothills Catering (Kevin Loftis)
3rd $ 200 & plaque- 3rd Degree Bean (Renee White)

Novice 1st $ 500 & plaque- Habanero Hot Heads (Todd Syracuse)
2nd $ 250 & plaque- Dead Earl’s Killer Chili (Mike Magee)
3rd $ 100 & plaque- Roadkill Café (Richard Fillet)

People’s Choice $ 150 & plaque- 3rd Degree Bean (Renee White)

JALAPENO PEPPER EATING CONTEST
1st $300 & plaque - Merrick Cantrell
2nd $200 - Bo McCorkle
3rd $100 - Jon Cooper

The dates of the 26th edition of the St. Francis Fall for Greenville have been set for October 12-14, 2007.