One statewide and two local organizations will vie for a $5,000 donation during this year’s Starkville Restaurant Week.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Children’s of Mississippi health care umbrella, Mississippi State University’s T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability and Starkville Young Life emerged as the event’s three charity finalists after the Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau’s nomination period ended March 27.
Although Jennifer Prather, Greater Starkville Development Partnership special events coordinator, did not disclose how many total nominations SCVB received or how many the three specific groups garnered, she said the organizations “all displayed a strong showing of support” during the process.
“As organizers, it excites us to see a variety of organizations represented in the nomination process and to see the event gain notoriety outside of Starkville, specifically shown through the support of (Children’s of Mississippi), affirming for us the reach of the event across the state. We are excited to kick off (the event) as we share the good work of three very deserving organizations, all while supporting our local restaurants, who give back to the community every day.”
Children’s of Mississippi served more than 180,000 children last year, including almost 1,000 from Starkville and the surrounding areas. It is comprised of three Jackson-area locations — Batson Children’s Hospital, the Eli Manning Clinic and the Hinds Comprehensive Clinic — Children’s of Mississippi-Tupelo and Children’s of Mississippi-Gulf Coast, located in Biloxi.
The T.K. Martin Center is an educational program offering academic services, speech-language pathology and other therapies to children before kindergarten and adults. The organization won SRW’s grand prize in 2014.
Young Life, a national Christian youth and student organization, began a Starkville chapter in 2013. Since then, the organization has spread its ministries to MSU, Starkville Academy and Starkville High School. Hosting clubs, camps and other activities, the organization is led by four staff members and 40 volunteers.
Created in 2013 as a way to show off Starkville’s growing culinary scene, the Partnership leverages advertising dollars with Starkville Restaurant Week as a way to attract out-of-town visitors to participating restaurants.
This year’s event is the fifth in its history and is scheduled for April 17-23, which coincides with Mississippi State University’s home baseball series against the University of Alabama (April 20-22), and two of MSU softball’s three-game home stand against the University of Arkansas (April 22-24).
Prather confirmed 26 GSDP-member restaurants have agreed to participate in the event.
Its charity aspect — one in which diners who order qualifying entrees are allowed to vote for an organization to receive a $5,000 donation — was added so the Partnership could use the ballots as a way to track participation and add tourists’ information to its data banks.
“We look forward to this event being a way for supporters to enjoy the traditions of the Starkville culinary community, as well as trying new establishments, such as the Pop Porium, a gourmet popcorn shop on Main Street, and Matty’s Starkvegas Cafe, now open in the former State Theatre.”
Last year’s grand prize winner, Backpack Buddies, received 5,530 out of 12,893 ballots in the week.
Previous winners include the Oktibbeha County Humane Society and MSU’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic.
This year’s prize sponsors include: Cadence Bank ($5,000 for first place), Vollor Lang Law Firm ($1,000 for second place) and Ross and Kelley PLLC ($500 for third place).
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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