Cancer Center’s Annual Fundraiser Raises a Delicious $160K for Local Community

Local restaurants and caterers recently banded together to help fight cancer in our community.

  (Baton Rouge, La.) Local restaurants and caterers recently banded together to help fight cancer in our community, serving up award-winning samples at The Taste 2014, an annual fundraiser benefiting patients at Mary Bird Perkins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center. Five hundred-plus guests enjoyed delicious food from the more than 25 restaurants and caterers participating in The Taste on May 1, held at the Capital Atrium of the Belle of Baton Rouge Casino and Hotel. Music by the J Gray Jazz Trio, a silent auction, a Signature Showcase Live Auction Item and a raffle drawing were featured— all amassed to deliver a fun evening for a serious cause. Honorary event chairs for this year’s festive evening were Tom and Lisa Adamek; co-chairs were Pamela Delatorre and Lindsay Chustz Guerin. The event was presented by Brian Harris Audi and Louisiana Lottery Corporation. The Signature Showcase Live Auction Item, an extraordinary dinner party staged at the fabulous home of TJ Moran and Judy Byers, was intended for one lucky winner to host a five-course  meal  for 10, personally crafted by renowned Chef Peter Sclafani, paired with exclusive wines to complement each course. When the exciting bidding battle between two people reached $9,000, auctioneer Brian Fourroux declared it a tie and awarded the Signature Showcase Item to both parties for a total of $18,000. The holder of this year’s lucky raffle ticket was Jill Lee, winning a select piece of woman’s jewelry from New York-based designer Ippolita, courtesy of Lee Michael’s Fine Jewelry, and a New York City trip for two including airfare and hotel accomodations. “This year’s event was a great success, raising over $160,000,“ said Kaitlyn Guerin, associate development director, Mary Bird Perkins—Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center. “These funds will help provide vital treatment services for those who otherwise could not afford them, including free community education and cancer screenings for medically underserved populations, and transportation services for patients who need help getting to their treatments.”   Mary Bird Perkins—Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center is the most comprehensive cancer center in Louisiana offering patients the convenience of receiving high-quality, advanced care close to home. The Cancer Center is part of the National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP), a group of competitively selected cancer centers developing a national model for community cancer care.