Birmingham News (AL)
Section: LIFESTYLE
Page: 02-D
Illustration: NEWS STAFF PHOTO/JEFF ROBERTS At second Culinary
Foundation gala are, from left, Sal Marino, Miss Alabama Ashley
Halfman, Chef Michael Glenn and Betty Slaughter.

Susan Strickland
In studios all over town, artists are putting finishing touches and a final coat on miniature boxes that will be auctioned Friday. Although each box is different, the contents are the same: They’re filled with hope.

The Hope Chest auction benefits Children’s Aid Society, which has provided services to families in need since 1913. The needs vary, but the heart of the program is to give hope for all children and their families.
Home-based services are designed to prevent the unnecessary separation of children from their families. Comprehensive social services are provided to families impacted by HIV/AIDS and by other terminal illnesses. There is a program to help teenage parents with their responsibilities. The post adoption and adoption program provides services to all members of the adoption triad – adopt, birth family and adoptive family.

This year, the Hope Chest Auction will also have interesting items that are not boxes. Live music will be by Marion Mickey and Two A La Swing. Franklin Biggs is donating gourmet food. And Ken Jackson will be host and conduct the live auction.

Artists include Jennifer Bennett, Allison Bliss, Jonathan Bloom, Xander Booker, Zan Brock, Chris Clark, Celia Cowen, Lila GravesBloom, Miles Haggard, Frieda Hall, Tara Hall, Alice Hammell, Elizabeth Holmes, Joyce Hudson, Shelly Jacobs, Kay Sassier Jacoby, Marla Kenney, Frank Kirk, Valancia Lockhart, Emmie Longshore, Danza Masters, Stacy McCormick, Susan Oliver, Cindy Owen, Pam Packer, Alice Penderson, Lani Powell, Tom Powell, Nikki Quick, Sandra Rice, Robin Richeson, Joy Russell, Rowman Scherman, Laura Secord, Elaine Swoger, Donald Tubbs, Toni Tully, Maralyn Wilson, Lee Woehle, Patty Woods and Karen York.

On the Hope Chest committee are Jennifer Givens, Tracy Bennett, Jan Hughey, Sue Dumond and president of the board Dorothy Shaw.

Admission is a $20 donation at the door. The party will be 7 to 10 p.m. at the Clary Sage Galleries/ Architectural Heritage, 2807 Second Avenue South. Black-eyed peas to sushi The Culinary Scholarship Foundation hosted its second gala and made it an occasion to honor an outstanding chef, Sal Marino. Involved in culinary arts for 50 years, Sal has owned four successful restaurants in the Birmingham area over the years and is currently corporate chef for the Maridan Corporation. Chef Sal was voted Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Federation in Birmingham and inducted into the American Academy of Chefs’ Hall of Fame.

The home of Betty and Bob Slaughter was the setting for the evening organized by Chef Michael T. Glenn, the foundation’s executive director. Michael also did the unusual florals.

Michael, Edith Gerald and Clayton Sherrod established the foundation to raise scholarship funds and to promote culinary arts as a noted profession.

The fare was wonderful – from black-eyed peas to sushi – and elegantly presented. The chefs were Doug Allen, Lonnie Glenn Jr., Nicholas Hartmann, Bill Stellwagen, Jay Roberson, Jerome Crawford, David Dixon, Butch Evans and Villeta Layton.

Miss Alabama Ashley Halfman came. Sal was with his wife Jean. Among the 100 guests were Bennie Myles, Stan and Cynthia Derencin, Nick and Bernedette Marino, Nicholas Marino Jr., Allison Marino, Doug and Villeta Layton, Nick and Judy Hartmann, Clayton Sherrod and Connie Blalock. Useful to genealogists The Alabama Genealogical Society’s spring seminar had reassuring news concerning the National Archives and Records Administration, Southeast Region center. Regional administrator James McSweeney dispelled a rumor. The center will not be closed but will relocate in the Atlanta area. It’s possible that there will be an interim move to Palmetto, Ga., while completing long-term plans.

Other speakers were Archival Operations director Dr. Charles Reeves and archivist Suzanne Dewberry. Those attending gleaned ways to utilize information found in the Archives. From the Birmingham area were Aline Chestnutt Anderson, Brenda Arce, Betty Bacskay, Linda Bailey, William Baker, Paula Ballard, Sandra Barr, Jim and Jo Baskerville, Dale Beasley, Edith Dawson Beck, Dr. Tom Oliver Caldwell, Karen Carroll, Jerald Clanton, Neva K. Carmichael, Elenor Cochrane, George Davis, Patricia Coleman, Florence Lewis Donelson, Claire Dorough, Brenda Simpson Dumas, Frances Lewis Etheredge, Billy T. Gamble, Stella Ingram Gamble, Christine Garrison, Josephine Martin Govan, Jyl Johnson Hardy, C.T. Hines, Vadie Honea, Judy Giddens Howard, Bill Howard, Carrie Frances Vaccaro Humphries, Frankie Murphy Jernigan, Jimmie Lou Richardson Keller, Dr. John Edward Kent, Mildred Thomas Kent, Barbara King, Richard Knight, Shirley Knight, Ginny Lake, Harry Akin Lauderdale, Bill Legg of Montevallo, Kent Lewis, Jack Lynch, Joyce Lynch, Linda Jackson MacLennan, John P. Martin, Linda Green Martin, Marguerite Martin, Virginia Mellor Martin, Rosiland S. Mathews , Heath McMeans Jr., Leroy Nance of Chelsea, Jonathan Newman of Trussville, Cynthia Nobles, Lea Norman, Dr. Lamar Osment, Dr. John Packard, George Parker, Dovie Murphy Parker, Carol Barfoot Payne, Bill Polk of Leeds, Al Ragsdale, Doris Scott Ragsdale, Shirley Ratliff, Mary Ellen Roach, Nancy Greer Robinson, Anne Ruisi, Carolyn Sanders, Linda Schoonover, Ray Schoonover, Sue Pierce SteeleMahaffey, Roy Stewart Jr., Mary Taylor, Ron Taylor, Sherry Tew, Arminda Thompson, Barbara Tillery, Teresa Hollis Sims Vaccaro, Michael Vaccaro, Larry Lee Bishop Waites, Ray Walker, James Warren, Chris Wren, Marshall Wren, John Yancy, Scott Yancy and Sarah Young.

From Pelham were Emily A. Brawner, Jacqulyn Brawner, DeWitte T. Cross Jr., Peggy Cross, Betty H. Fox, Martha Stewart Geyer, Patrick Henry and Debbie Martin.