Wine, Dine, & Design Fashion Show with Celebrity Guest "Cojo"

Proceeds to Raise Awareness and Funding for SC School for the Deaf and the Blind. March 26th at Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center

The Walker Foundation, the fundraising arm for the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind (SCSDB), will host its Wine, Dine, & Design fashion show event Monday, March 26, 7:30 p.m., at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Special celebrity guest fashion guru Steven "Cojo" Cojocaru, known for his celebrity fashion coverage for "Entertainment Tonight," the "Today Show," E! Entertainment Television, and "Access Hollywood" will be on hand for a special meet and greet for the VIP Reception prior to the show beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Presenting sponsor is Kenneth Shuler; other sponsors of the event include Sheraton Columbia Downtown Hotel, Macy's, Gold's Gym, and CarterTodd & Associates. For more information on the event, VIP reception, and after party, visit www.winedineanddesign.org. Tickets are now available for purchase online or by calling (803) 445-6216.

The Fashion Show event will help raise awareness and funds for services provided by SCSDB to individuals throughout the state. SCSDB aims to ensure that served individuals, ages birth to 21, realize maximum success through high quality educational programs, outreach services, and partnerships. It also strives to be the statewide leader in education and accessibility for individuals who are deaf, blind, or sensory multi-disabled.re that realize maximum success through high quality educational programs, outreach services, and partnerships. It also strives to be the statewide leader in education and accessibility for individuals who are deaf, blind, or y multi-disabled.

Designers include: Leslie Davis of Azure Swimwear, Beth Baxley of Pink Sorbet, Annabelle LaRoque of LaRoque, Molly Stevens of Ellie and Ollie, Sergio Hudson of Sergio Hudson, Inc., and Tina Johnson of Over The Top.

"We have been looking forward to this fashion show and celebration for a very long time," said Ann Akerman, CEO of The Walker Foundation. "Some of the most noted and upcoming fashion designers, along with local and national beauty companies, have come together to support our students all over the state. We are extremely thankful for our sponsors and everyone who has come together to make this event possible."

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The 2nd Annual So You Think You Can Cook Chili Cook-off heats up downtown

By Dustin Wyatt of GoUpstate.com

Hundreds of people exited Indigo Hall in downtown Spartanburg recently with stomachs full of chili.

The second annual "So You Think You Can Cook" Chili Cook-Off heated up downtown Spartanburg, providing attendees with a warm, delicious escape from the wet, rainy conditions outside.

"We sold approximately 325 tickets, but there were more than 350 people in attendance, including participants and judges," said Ann Akerman, executive officer of The Walker Foundation. "This greatly exceeded our number from last year. We are so happy that we had such a great turnout."

Tickets were sold for $50 apiece and the proceeds benefited The Walker Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind and its multihandicapped programs.

Akerman says the event raised $40,000 this year.

Eleven teams, with chili recipes varying in flavors, vied to satisfy the taste buds of attendees and a panel of four judges.

Chefs stood behind tables and methodically dipped ladles into slow cookers, spooning out chili to fill sample-size bowls for people passing by.

Occasionally, the contestants would share the story behind their chili and its recipes.

Some tables also had the usual chili toppings, such as cheese, sour cream or hot sauce. Others had more bizarre garnishes, such as Fritos or even pimento cheese.

Ann Bearden, owner of Home and Garden Classic on South Pine Street, and her team won the award for the crowd's favorite chili.

"Our chili is a little bit different because we use beef that has been smoked out on the barbecue and we add a moderate spice. We also put in a dollop of pimento cheese. The pimento cheese is kind of our specialty," she said. "It's moderately spicy, but I don't like it too spicy, so we toned it down a little bit."

The chili is served at White Rabbit, a gift shop inside Home and Garden Classics.

Amy Wood, news anchor with NewsChannel 7, was one of the judges of the cook-off.

"This was my first time judging something like this," she said over the noise in the crowded room. "Before I started, I thought I was going to need a fire hose to cool off my mouth. But the chilies in the competition were all pretty easy to digest, without burning my throat."

"When judging, we were looking for something that may be a little different," she said.

Judges joining Wood were Cribb's Kitchen owner William Cribb, Milliken CEO Joe Salley, and Orchid Paulmeier, owner of One Hot Mama's American Grill in Hilton Head. Paulmeier was also a season seven contestant on "The Next Food Network Star."

Winners of the judges' choice for the best-tasting chili went to Brooks and Carolyn Crenshaw.

Their chili featured some wild ingredients — literally.

"It is a venison (deer meat) and wild boar chili," Brooks Crenshaw said. "We jokingly called it a hunting and gathering chili because we harvest the wild game ourselves. The chili also featured some homegrown vegetables from our summer garden as well. It was a nice balance of fresh ingredients; we knew exactly where everything came from."

Brooks said his mother had been serving this chili for more than 30 years. "I have recently changed it in the past couple of years to give it more of a 'wild game' flavor.

Paulmeier said their team edged out the competition because of the fact they hunted the meat and grew their own vegetables, giving the chili a truly unique and wonderful flavor.

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The Walker Foundation among the 28 charities chosen to benefit from the 2012 BMW Charity Pro-Am Golf Tournament presented by SYNNEX Corporation.

South Carolina Charities, Inc., the host organization of the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation golf tournament, has selected The Walker Foundation to be among the 28 charities to benefit from the 2012 tournament.

"We're very excited about this year's charitable beneficiaries," said Bob Nitto, President of South Carolina Charities, Inc. "These 28 organizations are a diverse mix of new and returning organizations that benefit individuals across our state."

Each charity will have the opportunity to raise funds for their organization by participating in tournament-sponsored programs including ticket sales, pro-am foursome sales and by having individuals volunteer on behalf of their charity.

Charities will receive 100 percent of the proceeds for selling one-day and four-day General Admission tickets to the tournament, which are priced at $10 and $25, respectively. Each charity will also have the opportunity to earn funds by fielding golf teams for one-day pro-ams. There are several pro-ams scheduled throughout tournament week that offer financial opportunities to charities who solicit local amateur golfers to participate.

Charities are also encouraged to recruit as many volunteers as possible. Participating organizations will retain the uniform package fee for each of their volunteers who sign up and work a minimum of two shifts during the tournament.

"These programs provide risk-free opportunities for charities to earn funds to support their organization, which is great for everyone involved," said Darin MacDonald, tournament director.

Since 2001, the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation has raised more than $8.6 million for more than 150 charities.

The 2012 tournament will take place May 17-20, 2012 at Thornblade Club, The Carolina Country Club and Greenville Country Club's Chanticleer course.

The BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation is the only tournament on the PGA TOUR's Nationwide Tour where amateurs and celebrities are grouped with Nationwide Tour professionals in a four-day better-ball competition over three courses. Amateurs, celebrities and pros rotate between three courses on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with the 14 lowest scoring pro-amateur/pro-celebrity teams advancing to play Sunday's final round at Thornblade Club. Celebrities play once at each course on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The professional winner of the overall 72-hole event takes home $108,000 from the total purse of $600,000. Amateurs and celebrities compete for individual prizes and cash donations to the charity of their choice out of the beneficiaries selected by South Carolina Charities, Inc.

If you are interested in volunteering or playing on behalf of The Walker Foundation, please call our office at (864) 577-7583 or e-mail TheWalkerFoundation@scsdb.org.

For more information about the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation visit the tournament's website www.bmwcharitygolf.com or follow the tournament on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BMWCharityProAm.

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New Retail Training Center to Expand Employment Training Opportunities for SCSDB Students

Representatives from Walmart, the SC State House, The Walker Foundation and its Board, SC School for the Deaf and the Blind and its Board join in the ceremonial ribbon cutting for the opening of the new Retail Training Center at SCSDB.

Students at the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind (SCSDB) are learning to roll up their sleeves and roll back prices in the new Retail Training Center at SCSDB! SCSDB celebrated the center’s grand opening on Monday, December 5. The Retail Training Center was made possible by The Walker Foundation, SCSDB’s fundraising arm, through a $75,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation and support from local Walmart stores and employees. Staff and students from SCSDB, staff from The Walker Foundation, and representatives from Walmart were on hand to celebrate this groundbreaking endeavor.

“Walmart is always proud to give back to the community in ways that make everyone’s lives better and stronger,” said Cindi Marsiglio, Walmart public affairs director for South Carolina. “The project at SCSDB is a perfect example of finding a unique avenue to help strengthen South Carolina.”

From Left to Right: The Honorable Eddie Tallon of the SC House of Representatives; Cindy Holland, Member of SCSDB Board of Commissioners; Chelsea Spann, SCSDB student

The SCSDB Retail Training Center is a mini version of a full-scale grocery and department store, complete with shelves of goods, a delivery truck loaded with boxes, computers to monitor stock flow, and a register for checking out customers. The goal of the training facility is to help students gain the necessary skills in communication, merchandising, sales, customer service, shipping and receiving to achieve successful careers in the retail industry.

"We are truly honored to have the opportunity to partner with the Walmart Foundation and Walmart South Carolina on such an innovative and creative program. It is certain to have a tremendous impact on our students here at SCSDB", said Ann Akerman, CEO of The Walker Foundation. “We believe that this retail training center is the first of its kind to be established in a school that serves children with sensory disabilities. It will also allow our students to apply their academic skills to critical job skills, preparing them for success in and out of the classroom.” 

The Retail Training Center is the latest addition to the newly-expanded, cutting-edge Applied Academics Center (AAC), formerly known as the Career & Technology Education (CTE) program. The AAC’s mission is to enhance students’ academic knowledge through hands-on applications in nine different career areas, preparing them for life beyond the classroom.

For example, students gain a better understanding of math and economics by applying them to building and marketing birdhouses, which provides tangible, comprehensible references when in the classroom, in addition to valuable job skills.

In the ninth grade, students begin applying their classroom skills and explore various career paths in nine different areas: agriculture, food, and natural resources; architecture and construction; marketing, sales, and service; hospitality and tourism; information technology; transportation, distribution, and logistics; education and training; health sciences; and, arts, audio/visual technology, and communications. 

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