Expanded photo caption: Celebrating with Cancer Services’ at its 27th Annual Capital Chefs’ Showcase were Kirk Johnson with Group Industries, Cancer Services Development Director Connie Caldwell, board Second Vice President Matt Colvin, board President Dr. Jeff Deyo, and Honorary Chair Couple LSU Coach Paul and Karen Mainieri.
BATON ROUGE — LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri and his wife Karen know all about what it is to be a champion and this month, they helped to honor other true champions?those in our community affected by cancer?as they served as Honorary Chair Couple of the 27th Annual Capital Chefs’ Showcase.
The event, which raised more than $200,000 for Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, helps the agency provide free programs and services to those living with, through and beyond cancer in our local 10-parish area such as wigs, children and adult support groups, resource information, financial assistance and more.
“Having won the national championship this year, I think I can recognize the consistent characteristics of champion caliber organizations and people,” said Mainieri after the event. “The people of Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge care about the right things?helping others that can use help?and that makes them champions in my mind. The families that deal with cancer show courage and positive attitudes in the face of tremendous adversity, which makes them true champions, too.”
In its 27th year, the event featured delicious food from our area’s top chefs and caterers, music from Nite Train, a Lee Michaels Champagne and Diamonds Extravaganza raffle and an exquisite silent auction, all in the name of helping the more than 5,000 people in our community who receive assistance from Cancer Services each year.
Items in the silent auction included a signed LSU line-up card from the NCAA National Baseball Championship game in Rosenblatt stadium, among many other LSU items.
“In all, those LSU items contributed to more than 20 percent of the total silent auction dollars raised that evening,” said Cancer Services Development Director Connie Caldwell. “We are so proud to have had Paul and Karen serving as Honorary Chair Couple and I truly believe the Showcase would not have been such a success without the support of LSU and Paul and Karen’s generous gift of their time and enthusiasm.”
Since the showcase began in 1983 with a two-day cooking demonstration, this premier fundraising event has raised over 2 million dollars for Cancer Services. The proceeds directly support the clients of Cancer Services.
For more photos from this year’s event, visit cancerservices.org and click on Capital Chefs’ Showcase Slideshow on the homepage. For information on Cancer Services, call 927-2273.