Growing Healthy Kids From The Ground Up Effort Gains Support

The Emeril Lagasse Foundation and Fetzer Vineyards Designate School Beneficiary

For Emeril Under The Stars Dinner & Auction On Friday, Sept. 12


Hopland, Calif. (Aug. 1, 2003) --The Ukiah Unified School district's innovative healthy lifestyles program directed at school children will receive a boost in September from popular Chef Emeril Lagasse and Fetzer Vineyards, who have jointly designated Growing Healthy Kids as the beneficiary of a charity Fund A Need auction on September 12 at Fetzer's Valley Oaks Ranch.

Even better, notes program director Terry Nieves, auction proceeds to the program, which involves more than 200 teachers and 5,000 students, will be matched at 50 percent by funds from the California Nutrition Network. The donation will help support gardens at each school, and provide funds for field trips to area farms and ranches. Tickets are available by calling toll-free to (800) 846-8637.

Chef Lagasse, who works with Fetzer Winemaster Dennis Martin to personally select and blend a line of premium wines marketed as Emeril's Classic Wines, will be in Mendocino at harvest time to film a Food Network television special and to participate in two fund-raising events at Valley Oaks benefiting the Emeril Lagasse Foundation.

The Saturday, Sept. 13 Emeril In The Harvest Sun event is sold out, but a small number of tickets remain for an intimate benefit dinner called Emeril Under the Stars on Friday, Sept. 12 which features a gourmet meal prepared by Chef Lagasse, joined by chefs from his restaurants and Fetzer Executive Chef Bridget Harrington, along with an auction conducted by well-known auctioneer Dave Reynolds. Music for dancing will feature New Orleans entertainer Jeremy Davenport.

Proceeds from the two-day event will enable the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support programs that inspire and mentor young people, such as Growing Healthy Kids. The Growing Healthy program focuses on nutrition education for students, providing a garden in every school, salad bars and nutrition related curriculum, and community forums focused on health and nutrition. By improving nutrition, the program enhances overall student performance.

Tickets for the benefit dinner are priced at $300 per person, and are available by calling toll-free to (800) 846-8637. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a reception, followed by dinner, the auction featuring a variety of vacations, collectible wines, luggage and culinary equipment, and dancing under the stars to the swing music of Jeremy Davenport.

Auction lots are being posted on the Internet for advance consideration at www.Fetzer.com

Fetzer Vineyards third annual Emeril Harvest events benefit the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. In addition to his popular Food Network programs, Chef Lagasse offers several popular restaurants, including Emeril's Restaurant, NOLA and Emeril's Delmonico in New Orleans, Emeril's New Orleans Fish House and Delmonico Steakhouse in Las Vegas, Emeril's Orlando and Emeril's Tchoup Chop in Orlando, and Emeril's Atlanta.

Emeril's Classic Wines are available nationwide in grocery stores, at the Fetzer Valley Oaks Tasting Room and on the web at Fetzer.com

Visit Emeril on the web at www.emerils.com