Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
New center lifts kids
Chefs cook for cause
Adozen area chefs joined forces for the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction of Northwest Arkansas on Oct. 12 at Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food in Bentonville. Some 200 guests helped raise more than $112,000 for the nonprofit organization.
A panel of judges selected chefs for awards. The 2017 Signature Chef Award went to Darin Byer of Meiji; Best Presentation, Chrissy Sanderson, Mockingbird Kitchen; and Best in Taste and People’s Choice, Maudie Schmitt, Cafe Rue Orleans.
Chefs competing in the kitchen for kids were:
■ Maudie Schmitt, event culinary chairwoman, Cafe Rue Orleans;
■ Keith Burmylo, event lead chef, Bocca;
■ Chrissy Sanderson, Mockingbird Kitchen;
■ Travis McConnell, Butcher & Pint;
■ Jennifer Madewell, KFB Events;
■ Rob Nelson, Tusk & Trotter;
■ Scott Baker, Tusk & Trotter;
■ Kurt Plankenhorn, 28 Springs;
■ Brent Hale, Big Sexy Food; and
■ Justus Moll, River Grille. Those joining March of Dimes for the evening included Cara and Marcus Osborne, Al Dominguez, Nassima and Sharif Omar, Debbie and Marc Crandall, Julie McWhorter, Valarie and Justin Sappington, Kathy and Joe Farnan and Holly and Jim Breach.
The Helen R. Walton Children’s Enrichment Center and Early Childhood Initiatives Center will join the Scott Family Amazeum and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville’s burgeoning “Discovery District,” Paul Stolt, Amazeum marketing director, told supporters of the children’s enrichment center Thursday morning at a groundbreaking ceremony at the hay field on J Street in Bentonville,
just south of the Amazeum.
The group currently serves 240 children on site and annually works with some 200 development centers, about half of those in the region, six days a week in one training room. The new site will allow for more space to train early childhood professionals with the goal of serving all centers in the region.
The 8,700-square-foot facility will house an expanded training center, library, collaboration room, computer lab and flexible space.
Michelle Barnes, executive director, said: “We get to take what’s been on paper for the past couple of years and go vertical.”
Among those championing the children’s enrichment center were Lynne Walton, Olivia Walton, Marilyn and Bob Bogle, Becky Alexander, Diane Carroll, Kyle Peterson, John Furner, Kyle Peterson, Shelley McMillon, Erin Hogue, Chris Sooter, Marcy Camacho, Julie McKenzie, Alan Dranow, Julie Gehrki, Rhonda and Harrison French, Greg Fogle, Russ Daniel, Paul Lewis, Ken Mantel, Maury Peterson, Jason Nichol and Michelle Barnes, executive director.
For more event photos — nwadg.com/photos/society.