Another successful year for Blugold Dining’s annual food drive event at UW-Eau Claire

A total of 4,280 pounds of food and $1,001 in cash was collected and donated to the Feed My People Food Bank through a recent University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire initiative to fight hunger and help those in need in the Chippewa Valley.

           

Blugold Dining sponsored the Helping Hands Across America food drive November 18, at all campus dining locations. In addition to individual donations, 12 campus groups collected more than 750 pounds of food and $440 in cash in response to Blugold Dining's challenge for group participation. The Accountingand Finance Departmentcollected the most food per person and was rewarded with a free catered event.

The entire Blugold Dining family was recognized for their dedication to UW-Eau Claire students and their support of the Helping Hands initiative, which provides Feed My People Food Bank with one of its largest food drive donations.

More than 14,500 individuals each month -- 38 percent of them children -- rely on food received from programs supplied by Feed My People. With UW-Eau Claire’s donation, Feed My People will be able to provide 7,858 meals to our neighbors in need.

The nonperishable food items collected on the UW-Eau Claire campus will help senior citizens, single parents, the working poor, the homeless, the mentally ill and others in need throughout the Chippewa Valley. For every dollar donated, Feed My People can obtain and distribute seven pounds of food worth more than $10. More than 6.6 million pounds of food was distributed in 2013 to hunger-relief organizations in 14 counties in west-central Wisconsin.

 

UW-Eau Claire students raise over $2,000 at Soup & Bread Night

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire students raised $2,019.24 for Feed My People, the only food bank in west central Wisconsin, through the Blugold Dining program's recent Soup and Bread Night initiative.

Students selected soups, breads and beverages to replace the usual evening and late-night meals at Riverview Café in Hilltop Center. The Feb. 26 event was attended by 1,798 people, who were served by volunteers from a number of student organizations and members of the Blugold Dining committee. The proceeds to be given to Feed My People will consist of a donation from Blugold Dining as the savings in labor and food costs.

Emily Moore, executive director of Feed My People Food Bank, will be invited to an upcoming Blugold Dining committee meeting to accept the donation.

Feed My People Food Bank distributes donated food to more than 100 agencies serving senior citizens, single parents, the working poor, the homeless, the mentally ill and others in need throughout the Chippewa Valley. About six million pounds of food is distributed each year to hunger relief agencies in 14 counties. In 2013 more than 60,000 individuals living in west central Wisconsin -- about 38 percent of them children -- relied on food they received from programs supplied by Feed My People.

Soup + Bread Night continues to raise money for Feed My People

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire students hope to raise more than $2,000 to feed the less fortunate through a Soup and Bread Night initiative Wednesday, February 26. The dinner will take place from 4 p.m. to midnight at Riverview Café in Hilltop Center. The goal of the student-run effort is to serve 4,000 or more people while raising awareness of hunger in the Chippewa Valley.

Students have selected soups, breads and beverages to replace the usual evening and late-night menus.

The meal will be served by volunteers from a number of student organizations and members of the Blugold Dining Committee. All savings in labor and food costs will be donated to Feed My People, an Eau Claire food pantry that distributes donated food and other products to nonprofit agencies that serve senior citizens, single parents, the working poor, the homeless, the mentally ill and others in need throughout the Chippewa Valley.

All students, staff, faculty and the general public are invited to Soup and Bread Night. The cash price is $7.78 plus tax; those using their Blugold Account will receive 10 percent off the cash price. Meal plan participants will be charged the regular admission price.

A campus tradition since 1995, Soup and Bread Night has raised more than $17,000 for Feed My People.

GLOBAL CHEF – Experience the Flavors of Russia

COME TASTE WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT!

The Global Chef Program is bringing authentic international cuisine to campus. One of Sodexo’s talented chefs has traveled thousands of miles and time zones to cook especially for you.

 

UW-Eau Claire and Blugold Dining will welcome Chef Boris Martynov who will share the flavors of Russia with the campus community. Special Russian-themed meal events will take place Monday, February 10 in Riverview Café for dinner and Tuesday, February 11 in The Dulany Inn for lunch.

 

ABOUT CHEF BORIS MARTYNOV
Inspired by family leisurely weekend afternoons in the kitchen, Chef Boris Martynov has always been passionate about food.  His culinary career began more than 45 years ago as a teenager growing up in the Moscow countryside. From the very beginning, Boris prided himself on providing guests with an extraordinary experience they would always remember. Starting his career as a chef at Moscow city airline terminal, Boris was passionate about creating good food and inspiring Russians and country guests to expand local palates.

 

Boris served 2 years in the USSR Armed forces. His next post was at the USSR Social Sciences Academy and the USSR State Logistics Committee. Moving forward, Boris Martynov was appointed Executive Chef of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. It was Boris’s guiding philosophy of sustainability that drew him to Sodexo. For the past 17 years, Boris has supervised and inspired numerous young chefs to reveal their creative talents. Committed to Sodexo Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, Chef Martynov gives his time and expertise to students throughout their externship program at Sodexo to provide them with real industry experience. On numerous occasions Boris advised and assisted with the opening of food restaurants at business centers, food canteens at industrial sites and dining-rooms at remote sites all over the country.

 

His talent, hard work and in-depth knowledge of national cuisine have brought him success throughout Russia. For four years, Boris used his culinary talents to provide catering for the Moscow Kremlin Cup, a professional tennis tournament. Chef Martynov never stops mastering his skills to achieve excellence in his chosen profession. He believes that, “the world no longer belongs to those who know but to those who learn.” Sodexo is proud to have him as a corporate chef of Sodexo Russia.