Friendly rivalry will spark as the Exchange Club of Valdosta presents Cook And Care, a live, on-site culinary and mixology competition to benefit the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) of Lowndes County, Inc. The event begins at 6:30 pm, Monday, November 17, 2014 at Quail Branch Lodge in Lake Park, Ga. Featured chefs and mixologists include reigning overall champion, Keira Moritz of Steel Magnolias, Jeff Lind of Gourmet Guys, and Reginald Donaldson of Covington’s Dining & Catering. A few of the featured judges include; Rebekah Faulk, a food enthusiast, blogger, hostess and entertainer and competitor on Season two of ABC’s The Taste and representing Georgia in Dr. Oz’s Nationwide Healthy Recipe Challenge; Warren Caterson, a chef and full-time writer of “Table for Two – The Cookbook for Couples”; and Dave Snyder, owner and executive chef of Halyards restaurant group of St. Simon’s Island.

Cook And Care is an event designed to showcase individual skills, techniques and styles of participants as they review their box of mystery ingredients and present a 3-course meal and mixologists presenting two cocktails to a panel of judges. The event brings together supporters of the non-profit agency and highlights the community’s commitment to assisting the sexually and physically abused children of our area. In addition to the “Iron-Chef” type show, ticket holders will have an option to bid on the entrées while enjoying a specially-designed menu provided by Jessie’s Eat & Treats, live music, and participate in auctions consisting of a painting donated by Kaleidoscope Gallery & Emporium, Elli’s Boutique gift certificate, JT Vinson custom-tailored sport coat, Davis Creation’s saltwater pearls, Bourbon Basics workshop for 24 people provided by VSU’s Dr. Bill McKinney and First Lady Dacia Charlesworth and more.

Sponsorship opportunities and tickets for $40 per person or $70 per couple are available for businesses and individuals who are interested in supporting the CAC's mission to stop child abuse and minimize the trauma of child victims in Lowndes and surrounding counties (Lanier, Berrien, Brooks, Cook, and Echols). In 2013, the CAC provided services to over 471 abused children including 1,515 therapy sessions. For more information contact Brittny Hammock at 229.251.1999.