From The Paducah Sun, March 8, 2015 – KeeFORCE wins Best Table, Best Apron and the overall “Make a Difference” Award.
BY LAUREN BLACK
Eric Stinson (Elvis), an employee at KeeForce, marries Eat-O Burrito owner Phillip Harrington and Niki Henderson at The Purchase Area Sexual Assault & Child Advocacy Center’s 10th annual Men Who Cook fundraiser on Saturday night at the Julian Carroll Convention Center. This year the event was Vagas-styled and featured a night of fantasy casino gaming, an entertainment show, both silent and live auctions, and food specially prepared by male local celebrity chefs from throughout the region.
Saturday night saw the Julian Carroll Convention Center filled with glamorous guests who mingled among a smörgåsbord cooked up by local celebrity chefs. The Vegas-themed fun of the 10th annual Men Who Cook fundraiser — complete with fantasy gaming tables and an Elvis impersonator was all in service of a serious cause.
The goal on Saturday evening was to raise $30,000 for the Purchase Area Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center, or PASAC. The nonprofi t helps about 600 clients a year through its array of intervention services and also offers outreach and education programs to children and adults, Executive Director Lori Brown said.
On any given day, prosecutors, health care professionals and law enforcement personnel will work with the center, Brown added. But on Saturday, about 25 men took the opportunity to help in a different way: by serving an enticing selection of appetizers, entrees and desserts.
“PASAC is such a good cause,” said David Morse, director of marketing for KeeFORCE, as he served up plates of what he called “Penn & Teller” shrimp. “You’ll watch it disappear,” he explained.
Nearby, KeeFORCE employee Eric Stinson donned an Elvis costume and officiated over $1 “weddings;” and annulment cost $5.
On the other side of the room, longtime supporter Rob Estes and helper Aaron Goodman served up “blue velvet” cupcakes while wearing the blue body paint of the Blue Man Group. Estes said he first became involved five years ago because his wife cared about the charity, but said he’d cooked up the cupcakes all on his own. “Nobody’s died yet (from the cupcakes),”he observed.
The men stood to win awards for best appetizer, best entree and best dessert, as well as a Taster’s Choice and a fundraising award.
“Every year we have new men who get involved, and one thing we really love is how much work they put in to make the event a success,” Brown said. “We have guys who’ll work on developing their recipe all year.”
More information about PASAC is available at hopehealgrow.org. The group’s 24-hour help line is 1-800-928-7273.
