The Flavor of Love
The restaurant industry took a huge hit with COVID-19, and this annual foodie event is lending a hand. The UA Pulaski Technical College Foundation is launching a new initiative through its annual Diamond Chef Arkansas cookoff called Diamond Chef Gives Back, which allows the public to double the impact of donations to the restaurant/hospitality industry and its incoming workforce trained at UAPTC’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Institute.
“The National Restaurant Association is predicting a potential failure rate of local independent restaurants somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-60%,” says restaurateur Mary Beth Ringgold, co-chair of Diamond Chef Arkansas 2021 and two-time Diamond Chef champion. “Everyone in the casual dining segment has really suffered; high-end concept restaurants have been absolutely devastated. We know from personal and professional experience that this is the perfect time to turn our focus to giving back.”
Visit uaptc.edu/dcgivesback or text “DCGivesBack” to 71777 to choose a restaurant your donation will benefit, and save the date for the virtual Diamond Chef event on Thursday, April 22.
A+ Teachers
Economics Arkansas’ annual Bessie B. Moore Banquet was off for 2020, but that didn’t stop them from celebrating area teachers’ exemplary practices in economic education. Instead, the “Bessie Brigade” dropped off celebratory goodies, aka “Bessie’s in a Basket,” to each of the winning teachers. 2020 honorees were Jamie Garmon, Jennifer Taunton, Jason Finney, Jessica Culver and Jennifer Malugen.
Great Gifts
Little Rock’s Rose Law Firm celebrated a huge milestone by giving back. The firm marked its 200th anniversary with $200,000 of donations for community legal aid and local nonprofit organizations.
The recipients are:
• Arkansas Access to Justice
• Arkansas Arts Center
• Arkansas Bar Association
• Center for Arkansas Legal Services
• Legal Aid of Arkansas
• UA Fayetteville School of Law
• UA Little Rock Bowen School of Law
Big Moves
• The UA Little Rock Bowen School of Law named Rejena Grotjohn as its assistant dean for student affairs and diversity initiatives.
• Sherri Brewer has joined the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas.
• The Arkansas Foodbank added two new faces to its team: Calvin Hudson as chief administrative and information officer and Lea Whitlock as communications director.