WORCESTER, Mass. – The Regional Environmental Council (REC), in partnership with the College of the Holy Cross, will hold a Slow Food Gala fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 10, from 6 – 10 p.m. in the Hogan Campus Center on the Holy Cross campus to benefit the REC’s UGROW and YouthGROW programs. The event, which includes a five course meal and a silent auction, is open to the public. Tickets are $75 for REC members and $85 for non-members. To purchase a membership to REC with a ticket to the event, the cost is $100.
About Slow Food:
Slow food, an international movement dedicated to preserving and supporting traditional ways of growing, producing and preparing food, was developed by renowned food and wine writer Carlo Petrini in 1986 in response to the opening of fast-food franchises in Rome. As opposed to fast food and all it implies, Petrini advocated the value of sitting down and enjoying your meal with company.
Martin Dudek, assistant director of dining services at Holy Cross, and Holy Cross Chefs Edward Rome and Timothy Trachimowicz will prepare the slow food for the Gala using only seasonal ingredients that are locally or organically grown. Some of the vegetables in his menu have been grown in REC’s YouthGROW farm in Worcester, and all ingredients for the meal will come from sources within 100 miles of Worcester.
“Slow food has been a great addition to our dining program. It has given us the opportunity to work with local farms and manufactures to showcase their products,” says Dudek. “It makes us slow down and enjoy our lives — if only for a short time.”
The menu follows:
- Sweet Potato Soup
- Cheddar Polenta Cake with Tomato Chili Sauce
- Mesclun Salad with Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar
- Organic Beef Short Rib "Osso Buco" with Spicy Mocha Sauce or Gnocchi with a Saffron Cream Sauce
- Lentil Wheatberry & Rice Pilaf
- Greens from the YouthGROW Farm
- Chocolate Raspberry Torte
All guests will receive a complimentary Slow Food Recipe Book.
This year, four people will be honored at the Gala for their contributions not only to the REC, but to a safe, healthy environment for all of Worcester and Central Massachusetts. They are: State Sen. Edward M. Augustus Jr., D-Worcester; Evelyn B. Silver, REC founder and environmental activist; Steve Krosoczka, Sem-Tec, Inc.; and Peggy Middaugh, outgoing executive director of REC.
About UGROW and YouthGROW:
The UGROW program oversees a network of more than 30 urban community gardens and 350 gardeners.
“Community gardens are oases of greenery, activity, and food in the middle of some very urban neighborhoods,” says UGROW/YouthGROW Coordinator Casey Burns. “Gardens bring people together to improve their neighborhoods and share the things that are most important to all of us: food, family, and a safe community.”
The YouthGROW summer program takes place from June to August on an inner city farm. The youth workers maintain the farm, while they complete an educational curriculum that includes public speaking, event planning, and community building. Every summer YouthGROW raises over 2,000 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables, most of which is donated to food pantries and families in need.
Holy Cross has had numerous students work, intern and volunteer with the REC over the past three years. Four current Holy Cross staff members and one alumnus have served or are serving on the REC board including, Alice Laffey, associate professor of religious studies; Kathy Robertson, special assistant to the president for community affairs; Catherine Roberts, associate professor of mathematics; Jesse Anderson, director of audio visual services; and Jabian Gutierrez ’08.
Founded in 1971, REC is a grassroots, non-profit organization that is dedicated to building strong, healthy communities and improving the quality of life in Worcester.
For more information, visit the Regional Environmental Council website.
