Smith Family Out-Cooks Three Other Families to Win National Boys & Girls Club Competition

ATLANTA, Nov. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Smith family of Nashville, Tenn., was named winner of the second annual National Family PLUS Cook-Off, which was hosted in Dallas by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Families representing Boys & Girls Clubs from around the nation competed in regional events to qualify for the national cook-off. Finalists represented Clubs from Virginia Beach, Va.; Nashville, Tenn.; Mobile, Ala.; and Bentonville, Ark.

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At the event, which was hosted by Chef Richard Chamberlain, four teams fought the heat in an exciting kitchen cook-off. Each family was paired with a media representative from the Dallas area. Teams were then assigned to a cooking station, all stocked with the same ingredients. The object was for each team to use the given ingredients to make the most mouthwatering dish in just one hour; dishes were then judged based on presentation, taste and originality. Event judges included Jenny Lewis, vice president of the Kimberly-Clark Foundation; Sharon Van Meter, executive chef for Milestone Culinary Arts Center and The Viking Cooking School; and Scott Murray, president of Murray Media in Dallas.

Family PLUS (Parents Leading, Uniting, Serving) is a Boys & Girls Clubs of America initiative that helps Clubs integrate family strengthening activities into their programming. The initiative is supported through a five-year, $7 million contribution by Kimberly-Clark Corporation. "Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Kimberly-Clark Corporation realizes that the family is the foundation on which children build healthy relationships," says Jose Cruz, director, Family Strengthening, BGCA. "We created Family PLUS to provide parents and caregivers with the resources they need to help children live productive lives."

The cook-off event also launched BGCA's celebration of National Family Week (November 22-28). This marks the fifth year that BGCA has partnered with Kimberly-Clark to encourage families across the country to spend quality time together. During the week, Clubs world-wide are encouraging families to participate in volunteer and service activities that enhance their time together.

Representing Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, the Smith Family was named the champion, winning a year's supply of Kimberly-Clark products, a Nintendo Wii and a trip to Disney World.

About Family PLUS

A comprehensive family support strategy, Family PLUS (Parents Leading, Uniting, Serving) allows Boys & Girls Clubs to partner with families like yours, ensuring that parents and caregivers have the opportunities and assistance they need to better their children's lives. This initiative is generously supported by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation. To learn more about Family PLUS, visit http://familyplus.bgca.org.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has helped kids BE GREAT providing hope and opportunity for those who need it most. Today, some 4,300 Clubs serve some 4.5 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Boys & Girls Clubs can be found throughout the country and on U.S. military bases worldwide, providing young people 6-18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. Clubs positively impact lives and help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. Key programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration; community service; technology training; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a recent Harris Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.

SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America

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