2005

Amateur Chefs Raise Funds for Men’s Health

18 April, 2005

CONTACT:
Toni Hare, Public Relations Planner
Phone:  (330) 375-7117
Pager:  (330) 971-0633
e-mail:  haret@summa-health.org

THE COMPETITION CONTINUES DURING SUMMA FUNDRAISER
Akron’s best amateur chefs raise funds for men’s health

(AKRON, Ohio) – The title is up for grabs – the reigning champion has stepped out of the ring and won’t compete this year – which man will achieve the coveted People’s Choice Award?  Forty-one amateur chefs will step up to the challenge as the competition continues at the Fifth Annual Men Who Cook, Summa’s fundraiser benefiting men’s health initiatives.  

Some of Akron’s most well-know men, such as County Executive James B. McCartney, Akron Police Captain Paul Calvaruso, The University of Akron Head Coaches Keith Dambrot and Ken Lolla and WAKR Radio Personality Ray Horner will cook up their favorite recipes.  The competition starts at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 29 at St. Joseph Family Center, 610 W. Exchange St. in Akron. 

Men Who Cook’s goal is to raise funds to bring men’s health initiatives, focused primarily on heart disease and prostate health issues, to the community.  In 2004, the event raised more than $15,000.  This round of competition will feature dishes like Crab Toast, Two Grandma’s Old Country Pierogi Recipe and Beau’s Grilled & Chilled Flank Steak.  Desserts include Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle, Five Flavored Cake, Kotopites & Baklava and, 2003 People’s Choice Winning Celebration Cake. 

The four time People’s Choice Champion, Joesph Zarconi, M.D., vice president, medical education and research at Summa, will make a special appearance at the event, but will not compete.  Instead, Zarconi and Summa President & CEO Thomas Strauss will take part in a challenge of their own. 

Each Men Who Cook dish will be judged by a panel of women.  Chefs and bakers will compete for prizes in specific categories including best presentation, judge’s choice, and people’s choice, most creative and most elegant.  The all-female panel of judges includes Magistrate Tavia Baxter, Summit County Juvenile Court; Terry Bishop, Dominion Foundation, Ohio Office; Connie Humble, Summit County Children Services; Delores Jones, First Energy Corporation; Sarah L. Kisner, Summit County Department of Job and Family Services; Diane Miller-Dawson, City of Akron; Holly Miller, Habitat for Humanity, Summit County; Honorable Carla Moore, Ninth District Court of Appeals; Kathleen Rice, Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital; Beverly Schaffer, Mustard Seed Market and Café; the Honorable Brenda Burnham Unruh, Summit County Court of Common Pleas; and the Honorable Annalisa S. Williams, Akron Municipal Court.  

Event sponsors include Sodexho, Clear Channel Communications, Duncan Press, Jacob Good Restaurant, James Family Foundation, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, St. Joseph’s Family Center, First Energy Foundation, TOPS Markets, Dominion, First Merit, American Medical Response and Ritzman Natural Pharmacy.  Presale tickets for Men Who Cook 2005 are $50 and include admission, samples of all dishes, parking, one “People’s Choice” ballot and a souvenir.  Tickets will also be sold at the door on the evening of the event for $60.  For more information about Men Who Cook, call (800) 23-SUMMA.

Summa Health System is one of the largest organized delivery systems in Ohio.  The system encompasses a network of hospitals, community-based health centers, a health plan, a physician-hospital organization, an entrepreneurial entity, research and medical education and a foundation.  Consistently ranked as one of the best healthcare providers in the country, Summa excels in heart, emergency, women’s health, stroke, orthopaedics, cancer and geriatric services.  These services have been recognized by organizations such as the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and U.S. News & World Report.