More than two dozen restaurants and other purveyors of food and drink, plus encomia for 28 young business professionals, will be the focus of the Arkansas-West Tennessee Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's eighth annual Taste of the Finest fundraiser, 6 p.m. Aug. 16 in the Wally Allen Ballroom at Little Rock's Statehouse Convention Center.
The event will also feature "fine wines and bold beers," according to a news release; a silent auction (for items including artwork, jewelry, gift baskets from local merchants, gift certificates and "some unique surprises"); and a concert by area cover band Mayday by Midnight.
You must be 21 or older to attend. Dress code, says co-chairwoman Tanya James, is "cocktail-fun-sassy," and it's BYOB -- that's bring your own bib.
Tickets are $75, $125 for VIP (which includes access to the VIP lounge with special signature cocktails and other perks, plus admission to the after-party at Cache, and transportation from the restaurant to the convention center and back). Call (501) 371-0233 or visit finest.cff.org/littlerock.
James is a private banking adviser and vice president at Arvest Bank, the presenting sponsor. Her co-chairman is her husband, Terrance, the associate director of Birch Tree Communities Inc.
Tanya James connected with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in 2015 as a Taste of the Finest honoree. The foundation taps up to 30 young professionals each year for career success, commitment to the community and dedication to raising money and awareness to help support research, patient services and other CF foundation mission activities. The rare genetic disease progressively limits the ability to breathe and ultimately causes premature death.
"In 2016, I was asked to serve on the committee" for the event, she says, and asked her husband to serve as well. "We support one another in everything," she explains.
That led to her subsequently attending a national volunteer conference in Dallas and serving as event social chair, chair elect and finally event co-chair. She says she has been adequately prepared for the role: "They don't just throw anyone out there," she says.
Goal for this year's Taste of the Finest is $170,000; the Jameses say they've come up with $100,000 so far, but are looking for more $2,000 table-of-10 sponsors. They're expecting 750 guests to attend.
As chairmen, the Jameses serve as advocates and raise money and awareness, and, Terrance James says, "support the honorees in their fundraising efforts."
"They're good people, young professionals that go out" and raise funds for the foundation, Tanya James says. "And they're at the top of their professions, motivated go-getters," Terrance James adds. They both praised the broader spectrum of honorees, which this year includes real-estate professionals, bankers and, for the first time, a speech pathologist.
The honorees also participated in the selection process for the restaurants et al. that will be setting up tasting stations in the ballroom and the VIP area. Chapter Development Director Bethany Howell set up the site visits, which "aired" via Facebook Live.
"When the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was first founded, children with CF typically did not live long enough to attend elementary school," Howell says via a news release. "Today, people with CF are achieving milestones like going to college and starting families of their own. ... We invite everyone in the central Arkansas community to help us make 'CF' stand for 'Cure Found.'"
This year's honorees:
• Ashton Adkison, Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center
• Sarah Barnett, Arkansas Children's Hospital
• Christi Berry, Arch Ford Education Service Cooperative
• Jacob Bird, CTEH
• Hannah Brashear, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• Emily Burke, Colliers International
• Jessica Duff, Pulaski County Special School District
• Lauren Frederick, Haybar Real Estate
• Heidi Glover, Orangetheory Fitness
• Ashley Golleher, Arkansas Tech University
• Barrett Greer, Merrill Lynch
• Laura Iverson, LEI Venture Company
• Stephanie Keet, JTJ Restaurants LLC
• Kayla Kesterson, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Travis Ledbetter, Arvest Bank
• Hannah McDonald, Arkansas Graphics
• SaraCate Moery, Hilburn, Calhoon, Harper, Pruniski & Calhoun, Ltd.
• Whitney Mosley, Little Rock School District
• Lennon Parker, University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College
• Alexandria Parker, Arkansas Federal Credit Union
• Katelyn Pfeffer, Zenstudio Fitness
• Hannah Potts, First Security Bank
• Chase Rackley, Rackley Realty
• Jordan Smith, iProv
• Jamie Taylor, Bluebird Realty
• Hannah Thomas, Kerry Ellison Team at Keller Williams Realty
• Jennifer Tilton, Bank OZK
• Rhonna Wade, Arkansas Community Foundation
• Nathan Warfield, Everett Buick GMC
• David Wasson, Entergy Arkansas
The list of restaurant tasting sponsors continues to grow, but as of two weeks before the event, it includes Atlas Bar, Cache Restaurant, Cantina Laredo, Capers and Copper Grill, The Fold, Gina's Catering, Golden Eagle of Arkansas, Heritage Grille, Lake Liquor Inc., Loblolly Creamery, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Petit & Keet, Petit Jean Meats, the Pop Pop Shoppe, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Roxor Artisan Gin, Shotgun Dan's, Soul Fish, Star of India, Starbucks, Table 28, Honey Baked Ham Co., the Popcorn Spot and Two Sisters Catering.
High Profile on 08/04/2019