United Way brunch is Sunday
Regina Murphy
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The annual fundraising brunch for the United Way of the Flint Hills will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday in the Colonial Ballroom at Emporia State University.
First inaugurated in 2006 with the assistance of Sodexo chef Harold Jensen, new chef Molly Myers will continue the tradition with a varied buffet of gourmet cheeses, salads, meats (including carved prime rib), vegetables, and desserts.
“This is the third year of having the Sunday Brunch at Emporia State University. said Duane Dreiling, director of the United Way of the Flint Hills. “It is an outstanding event; everybody that has attended has been impressed with the presentation, the menu and the atmosphere.”
In the Colonial Ballroom, large, round tables set with china, linens and centerpieces will reflect the different agencies supported by United Way. Food stations will be set up around the periphery with hot and cold items and made-to-order pastas and Belgian waffles. Servers will bring coffee, juice and tea and clear away dishes as needed. Past brunches have raised $1,500 to $2,000.
“It is a very good fundraiser ... .” Dreiling said. “Not only do you have a nice Sunday brunch with your family, but you are also supporting United Way and the programs they fund.”
Chef Molly Myers comes to Emporia State University most recently from the Meadowbrook Golf and Country Club in Prairie Village, where she was executive chef. She has also been the executive chef for the Rockhill Tennis Club, JJ’s Bar and Grill and Frondizi’s Ristorante, all in Kansas City, Mo. Myers was recognized in Forbes magazine for her work in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Myers has also served on the catering coordination team for the Blues and Jazz Festival Bands and VIP tents. In Kansas City, she has catered events for private clients such as Hallmark Cards, HBO films, The Kaufman Foundation, J.C. Nichols, Crown Center and Chris Fritz/New West Presentations.
The brunch will begin at 11 a.m. and last until 1 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance. They are available at the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, First Community Bank downtown, the Sodexho Campus Services office at ESU, the United Way office in the Kress building, and The Emporia Gazette. The cost is $35 for adults, and $10 for children ages 6 through 12. Children under 6 are free, and $15 of the cost of an adult ticket is tax deductible.
A sampling of brunch items includes: mixed greens garden salad with creamy herb and white balsamic vinegar dressing, spinach salad with pears, pecans and a raspberry chipotle vinaigrette, poached peel-and-eat shrimp, antipasto, individually prepared pasta dishes, freshly scrambled free-range eggs, assorted baked quiches, bacon and sausages, chicken marsala, carved prime rib, deviled egg and roasted red potato salad, dessert bars, miniature cheesecakes and gourmet chocolates.
For more information, call the United Way office at 342-7564.