The March of Dimes raised $73,000 Sunday, October 21 at an event to benefit premature babies and their families.

  The Hampton Roads Show host Ariane Aramburo joined me once again this year to emcee the Signature Chefs Auction at the Founders Inn & Spa in Virginia Beach.

Organizers say admission and silent and live auction proceeds brought in thousands of dollars that will help with research.
Local chefs donated their time and talent to cook up various dishes with a port of call theme.

Scott Simpson from the Swan Terrance won “Dish of Hampton Roads” with his unique Mexico-themed tamale dish.

He will appear on the cover of an upcoming issue of Hampton Roads Magazine.

Here’s the complete list of March of Dimes Virginia Beach Signature Chefs winners:

Best Booth:  Eric Doarnberger of Atlantic Shores Retirement Community

People’s Choice:  Eric Doarnberger of Atlantic Shores Retirement Community

Best Presentation:  Brian Bland of Chesapeake Bay Catering Co.

Best Dessert:  Matt Knack of Croc’s 19^th Street Bistro

SOL Award (Sustainable Organic and Local):  Mike Farrell of Still Worldly Eclectic Tapas
Chef’s Choice – Kevin Sharkey of Aqua Vi at Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront

Dish of Hampton Roads:  Scott Simpson of Swan Terrance at Founders Inn & Spa

WAVY & Fox 43 are proud sponsors of the March of Dimes. The organization always accepts donations of money and time.

**Special thanks to Maya Couture  for allowing me to borrow that lovely fuschia “After Six” cocktail dress!**

**Some photos by www.wisephotographers.com ***

It’s hard to believe a whole year has gone by since the last Walk for Babies, but here we are again ready to walk 70 miles from Williamsburg to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

While Jimmy Ray and I are on the road, people passing by are always asking what are you doing this for? and really it’s an awareness-raising stunt so people will want to learn more about the March of Dimes.

We are both so grateful for the healthy babies in our lives and WAVY TV and Eagle 97.3 and all the organizations that support the walk want to do everything we can so that all babies have that chance at a healthy start and hopefully when people see how much fun Jimmy Ray and I have fun walking together they will want to find a walk in their community and also pitch in to help the babies.

This year is Jimmy’s 20th walk and my 10th and it’s also extra special for me because a few days ago I found out I’m going to be an Auntie. Because there is a possibility of some complications my little niece or nephew may be born a little early, it’s a concern but not as scary as it would be without the March of Dimes. Knowing that because of this organization doctors will know what to do if this little baby can’t go full term is a comfort to my brother, his wife and our whole family.

Over the years, we’ve met many families with a story like that and we look forward to hearing their latest chapters again this year.

Make sure you stop and see us along the way!

My pal Jimmy!

Check out my Twitter page for updates throughout the walk.

What a night at the 18th Annual Signature Chefs Auction at the Founder’s Inn and Spa in Virginia Beach on Sunday, October 16, 2011.

The March of Dimes exceeded its  goal. Not only did they set a record for the Live Auction thanks to the generous chefs, they broke records with the Fund the Mission portion of the auction where guests raised their paddles to donate $50 or more. They raised more than $63,000 total!

The money benefits the March of Dimes research and programs for healthy babies.

Ariane Aramburo and I served as emcees. We tasted some delicious soups, entrees and desserts.

Many of the chefs who participated have personal stories about premature babies.  The March of Dimes shared the stories of a few ambassador families who watched their preemies grow into strong productive young children and adults.

Chef Matt Knack from Croc’s 19th Street Bistro in  Virginia Beach, won the Dish of Hampton Roads for his shrimp and grits and pork butt. He and his recipe will be featured as the cover story of the annual food issue of Hampton Roads Magazine in January.

Here are the other winners:
Best Booth – Eric Doarnberger, Atlantic Shores
People’s Choice – Scott Simpson, Founders Inn
Best Presentation – Kevin Chang, Zushi
Chef’s Choice – Eric Doarnberger, Atlantic Shores
Best Dessert – Leon Buenviaje, Smithfield Gourmet Bakery and Cafe
SOL Food – Mike Farrell, Still

Check out many more pictures of the chefs, the food, the guests and the auction on my Facebook page. If you missed it this year, come join us next year! You can still make a donation to the March of Dimes anytime and check out the activities it has planned throughout the year.

A dress made out of popcorn, a snazzy car, an action clapboard,  red carpet…

Popcorn dress at The Founders Inn & Spa booth.

Seared scallops with risotto, deconstructed Steak Oscar, venison meatballs, braised pork cheeks….

Some of the chefs' creations

A silent auction, a live auction featuring boat trips, hotel stays, cooking classes, jewelry, wine dinners and more….

Kerri & Nicole with Pete Decker III introducing the chefs in the background

That’s the fun side of the March of Dimes Signature Chefs event at the Founders Inn And Spa in Virginia Beach on Sunday, October 17.  WAVY and WVBT Fox 43 have been proud sponsors for several years now and I’ve also been a part of it for quite some time. Kerri Furey joined me this year with co-hosting duties.  Attorney Pete Decker III was the main emcee. My childhood classmate, Keith McBride was the auctioneer and he had several people open their wallets and bid hundreds of dollars on special packages.

I mentioned the fun side of the event and it’s evident in the pictures I took, but the main reason we come together is to raise money in honor of healthy babies. Guests learned about the need for more research and funding. We even saw a clip about one of the chefs and his family’s experience with two premature babies. Here’s the deal: according to the March of Dimes- about half a million babies are born too soon and too small each year.  Prematurity is the number one cause of newborn death and disabilities. Mothers can do everything right, and still have a preterm delivery. The organization helps parents, health professionals, and the community with education and research to serve as a champion for ALL babies.

Sushi Aka's booth

Back to the food- which is just incredible every year. Chefs offer small plates of sampled dishes that reflect the season or the event’s theme. This year’s theme was “Gourmet glitz and glamour…Hollywood in Hampton Roads”.

Atlantic Shores' crab corn pudding and tenderloin

There was a lot of pork this year, Virginia-based food, and some cute Hollywood dishes, like the chocolate Oscar statues standing in mousse, created by Atlantic Shores.

Atlantic Shores' Chocolate Oscar statues in mousse

Here’s the list of the chefs and restaurants:

Food experts Patrick Evans-Hylton, Tammy Jaxtheimer, Peter Coe, Deon Foster, Patrick Reed, Debbie Freestone, and Sarah Boos served as judges. Chef Steve Gellas from Primo 116 in Suffolk took top honors.

Primo 116 Bistro chef, Steve Gellas

He won the Chef’s Choice Award and the Dish of Hampton Roads for the braised pork cheeks with butternut squash risotto.

Chef Gellas' award-winning pork cheeks dish. Photo by Patrick Evans-Hylton

Hampton Roads Magazine will feature Chef Steve on its January cover.

Here are the other winners (thanks to Patrick Evans-Hylton for sending me this update)

Best Presentation:
A visual and edible work of art.
Chef Leon Buenviaje, Smithfield Gourmet Bakery & Café – Smithfield
Seared Scallops with melon crème anglaise, foie gras gastrique and accompanied with a sweet potato and squash cake garnished with Smithfield ham

Most SOL (Sustainable, Organic & Local) Dish:A dish that includes components of sustainability, green ingredients and green techniques. Chef John Maclure (with Sous Chef Emi Ostrander), TradeWinds inside the Virginia Beach Resort and Conference Center – Virginia Beach
Giving Thanks For All Our Local Farmers – fresh turkey with Pungo Creek Indian Cornbread with Graves Mountain apples, Bees Knees honey and accented with vegetables from Dave & Dees Mushrooms, Cape Charles tomatoes, Scott Farms beans and our own property’s herb garden

Best Dessert:
Chef Richard Boone, Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro – Virginia Beach
Virginia Caramel Apple Custard Cake
(Also my favorite- very yummy!)

People’s Choice:
Selected by event attendees.
Chef Shawn Cotton, Atlantic Shores – Virginia Beach
Crab Corn Pudding with Lobster Medallions, Tenderloin with Orange Balsamic, cipollini onion relish over goat cheese and foie gras truffles rolled in gingerbread crumbs with spiced apple compote

Chef’s Choice:
Selected by all participating chefs for a dish whose technique and artistry are truly appreciated by other culinary professionals. (It was cool to see the chefs taste and rave about each other’s dishes)
Chef Steve Gellas, Primo 116 – Suffolk
Locally-Grown Braised Pork Cheek with Butternut Squash Risotto

Best Decorated Booth:
The booth that is decorated in a way that most creatively represents the event’s theme.
Eric Doarnberger, Swan Terrace at Founders Inn – Virginia Beach
Panko-Encrusted Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Napoleon

Congrats to all of these chefs for a wonderful evening. They all donated their time and talent to this event and certainly have a lot to be proud of. When you visit their restaurants, make sure you pass along an extra thank you!

2010 March of Dimes Signature Chefs

Do you have dinner plans this Sunday, October 17th? Join me and Kerri Furey as we emcee the March of Dimes Signature Chefs event at the Founder’s Inn & Spa in Virginia Beach.

Nicole emcees the 2009 March of Dimes Signature Chefs event

If I remember correctly, this will be my 8th year helping out with the event and it’s always a good time.

March of Dimes Signature Chefs creations from 2009

Chefs from all across the area will whip up their best dishes that guests can sample and vote on.  You can also bid on several packages in the live auction. The money raised benefits the March of Dimes. The March of Dimes Mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. It carries out that mission through research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies’ lives.

2008 Signature Chefs Ambassadors

To purchase tickets, contact Kristin French  at 757-361-0000 Ext:407 or kfrench@marchofdimes.com

Fox 43 is a proud sponsor of this event. We look forward to seeing you there!

Hi everybody…I really should be in bed but I’m just really excited about tomorrow’s Walk for Babies with 97.3 the Eagle’s Jimmy Ray!! We get started at the Williamsburg Country Club at 7:oo am and will finish 16 miles later at the Langley Federal Credit Union in Oyster Point…make sure you come say hello! I’ll be keeing you posted on our progress and share pictures and stories from the road right here on this blog…so stay tuned and don’t forget to sign up to follow WAVY-TV 10 on twitter! Nighty night and God bless the babies, and the March of Dimes!

I don’t have any babies of my own, but I’m lucky to have a lot of beautiful children in my life.  That’s why I support the March of Dimes.

Nicole's niece & nephew

Nicole's best friend's son

Nicole holding her godson

Join Team WAVY TV & FOX 43 to help raise money for the organization that provides research and education so women can have healthy pregnancies.

I’ll be at Baker’s Crust on 21st Street in Norfolk (Ghent) serving up food and raffle tickets on Thursday, April 22 from 7-9pm.   Here’s the complete Team WAVY/Fox43 schedule.  Hopefully you can make it out to one of these locations and support the cause.  Remember, it’s all about saving babies!

Baker’s Crust Hilltop- Kelly Gaita, Andy Fox, Jana Gordon
Baker’s Crust Greenbrier- Stephanie Cooke, Eric Harryman, Nikia Worsham, Evelyn Crumbley
Baker’s Crust Ghent- Nicole Livas, Kay Young, Charles Scott
Cazadores Mexican Restaurant Suffolk- Christine Bethea and David Culver.

Restaurants will donate 15% of gross sales and proceeds will go directly to our team’s total.

Nicole taking orders at '09 event

At last year’s event,  we raised $1400 in just two hours.  Hopefully we can beat or exceed that amount for the March of Dimes this year.

WAVY/Fox43 crew at '09 event

Don’t forget, you can sign up to joins us for the March for Babies Oceanfront Walk:

Sunday April 25, 2010
Oceanfront Boardwalk
2400 Atlantic Ave
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Phone: (757) 361-0000

Click here to register.

Good food, good times all for a good cause.
The March of Dimes is still counting,but the organization raised at least $33,000 at its annual Signature Chefs auction.
The event was held Sunday, October 19 at the Founders Inn in Virginia Beach.

FOX 43 and WAVY TV 10 are proud sponsors and I was happy to serve as emcee of the event. Even though this is a tough economic year, folks were generous with their time, talent and money. Local chefs offered samples of their best dishes. Thank goodness they were sample sized because with 20 chefs, that’s a lot of food! My favorite was the rockfish prepared by chef Mike Farrell of Still in Portsmouth. My favorite dessert was sweet potato pie prepared by chef Richard Boone of Sonoma in Virginia Beach.
Judges awarded chefs in various categories and guest got to vote on their favorite dish.
Here’s the list of winners:
Outstanding Presentation Dish – Richard Boone, Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro

Best Decorated Booth – Rich Cuocco, Harbourway at Atlantic Shores

People’s Choice Award – Eric Doarnberger, The Founders Inn and Spa

Outstanding Dessert Dish – Richard Boone, Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro

Chef’s Choice Award – Mike Farrell, Still

Most Environmentally Friendly Dish – Nigel Jenkins, The Great American Grill

The 2009 Dish of Hampton Roads – Executive Chef Pete Stine, Hilton Oceanfront Virginia Beach (Catch 31 & Salacia)

He prepared: Pan Roasted “Puppy Drum”, Corn bread, ragout of duck, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms.

This dish will be featured at his establishment in January and showcased in the 2010 Annual Food Issue of Hampton Roads Magazine.

The chefs’ restaurants donated packages for the live and silent auctions.

The money raised allows the March of Dimes to continue research and community education to help mothers have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies.

This year’s ambassadors are Brynn and Zach Earl, who were born premature 7 years ago, but are now thriving.

Hampton Roads March of Dimes Signature Chefs

Today was the day Jimmy and I had been waiting for, a 20 mile stretch that really puts us to the test!  We made it, but as usual we couldn’t have done it without all of the support from the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s department, and the Police Departments of Suffolk, Chesapeake and Portsmouth.

If you were watching WAVY News 10 and FOX 43 this morning…you may have noticed Delegate Chris Jones walking wih us. We always look forward to seeing his smiling face. He brings fresh energy and we always stop at the Bennett’s Creek Pharmacy (which was super-convenient because I needed some Ibuprofin and sunscreen today!)  When we went by the Carrolton Volunteeer Fire Department they pulled a couple of Engines out just to say hi…or maybe they could tell Jimmy’s feet were on fire! Just kidding! He’s actually walking faster than I am!  Suffolk’s fire station 5 also met us with some cold water and encouragement, so I thought it was only right to high five them all!!

When we came to the Mills E. Godwin bridge the three of us got kind of quiet, we put our heads down and just focused on trying to get over that thing!!!  After that it was smooth sailing to Hall Chevrolet in Chesapeake. The Western Branch Veterinary Hospital brought us $1,000 dollars for the March of Dimes, and we met a couple of once premature babies. First we met Virginia an 18 month old who was born at 23 weeks, and then Brice, who received surfactin when he was born early,  and now is a thriving eight year old who loves the Boston Red Sox….atta boy Brice.

After our stop for lunch we went on for the last 7 miles or so to the Midtwon tunnel. Fantastic day…can’t wait to see everybody at the oceanfront Sunday!

Check out our slideshow of walk pictures right here at WAVY.COM.

Now that Jimmy Ray and I have 30 miles under out belt we’re really looking to hit the half -way mark and we’ll do it tomorrow! Today we started from Patrick Henry Mall and wound our way into York County, then Hampton, then back into Newport News. Every time we crossed a city or county line the police officers were there to keep us safe. They all do a great job.

Jimmy and I even did a little running today through some construction so we wouldn’t cause too much of a back up. As usual, folks were great, making their donations, giving us water and the ladies at Hampton Foot and Ankle handed us some blister kits!!! So far our feet are holding up well, but we appreciate it!!!

We had another great turnout at Langley Federal Credit Union on Mercury where we stopped for lunch. It’s really great to catch up with the folks who come by every year.

Tomorrow is a big day…20 miles from the south side of the James River Bridge to the Midtown tunnel in Portsmouth. Wish us luck and remember it’s all for the March of Dimes!