CHEF'S
INFORMATION
STATION

By Don Antinore, CEC, CCE, AAC
New York State Representitive

September 2005

Help!!!


HELP! Please!
Empire State Information Station
Chef Don Antinore, NYS Coordinator
September 4, 2005

    My friends and colleagues...our nation has once again be assaulted, this time by Mother Nature. Just as you did during the 911 assault on NYC and Washington, we are asking you to take up "arms" and join in the aid and rescue fight on behalf of the countless thousands affected by the hurricane in the south. Chef John Kinsella, CEC, AAC, our National ACF President has sent me an S.O.S. for help from Rochester, NY...I extend that plea to all of you listed here.
    We have the talent and the gusto to beat this tragic situation from the kitchen! Just as we cooked 5,000,000 meals in 41 days in NYC, we can
double and triple those numbers under the capable leadership of Chef John Folse as he coordinates the food preparation from his Louisiana kitchens. I'm told that he (and others with him) are cooking 20 thousand meals daily, and I assume that's three times a day for refugees.(bet you never thought you'd hear that word in regard to American citizens?)
If you can go, let me know ASAP and I'll get you in touch with the proper coordinators..we'll need names, address, city, state and zip, phone numbers where you can be reached (all numbers). Unlike New York and Washington, this clean up and humane hospitality will be ongoing for months, even years...again if you can go and help out, you would be going the work of angels! You need not plan on more time than you can afford..but anything you can do would, of course, be a generous, charity, and loving on your part. Charity, now there's a term! If you can't go; do you have room in your house for someone? Can you provide a job for someone..long term? How about sending some money to the ACF Fund.make checks payable to the Foundation, any amount will be fine.it all adds up. Can your chapter afford to send some money? Please go to ACF Chefs.net and see what else you might do during these horrible times. We cannot imagine the horror
our southern friends by the T.V. news broadcasts.
    Today is the time to be humble, to help, to pray, to extend a hand to our brothers and sisters who, as Kinsella put "have 00.00, nothing!!!!" a quote. President Kinsella tells me that there are over 440 ACF chefs/cooks/bakers, Sr. members and students who are in obvious trouble..we need to do something QUICK! I'll be looking for you responses ASAP at 585-329-7339 or to my e-mail address: chefdon@rochester.rr.com or to the ACF office...Just call somebody!
    GOD THANKS YOU, as we do, for your generous help and concern. Got questions, contact the ACF Florida office or call me, I'll do what I
can to answer them or refer you to someone who can...GO TEAM!


HELP, PLEASE! PART TWO

Our ACF President and the wisdom of this sitting Board has established a committee under the expert eye and organizational skills of the Southeast Region Vice President, Eliz Baase. That committee recognizes the need for every ACF member to think about the situation and conditions that our Nation is experiencing today, the dreadful dilemma many of our fellow members are in from Florida to Texas as a result of this disaster and how we might best help them and others get through this.

FIRST: Send Money to the ACF Fund, ASAP

SECOND: Volunteer to go, if you can, at a moment's notice to help in many ways beyond cooking to the ravaged areas.

THIRD: DO NOT go with out direction! Elizabeth Basse and the committee strategically located around the country will funnel you generosity and willingness to help to the right place at the right time. Helter-skelter accomplishes nothing productive. "Law & Order, fine tuned organization will produce positive and lasting results.

FOURTH: If you have places that will accommodate people willing to relocate temporarily or even for the long term, let us know. We'll place the locations in a special bank and advise those wanting to move where they can find a "home!"

Lastly: If there are Real jobs in your area or if you are willing to take on an employee or two, let us know. That information will be placed on the appropriate list and offered to those who want or need them.

BUT FOR TODAY: $$$$$ ARE NEEDED!

You'll note that this letter goes out to the ACF State coordinators outside of New York State and to you, my ACF family and friends because this is everyone's concern, it affects all of us, ACF or not. Call around to friends, other chapters in your regions and ask if they've sent in a check, large or small, and if they have been contacted by others..that's all right, nag the hell out of each other. The message is clear and there's no time to waste.

Look on the ACF web page for the committee names of those in your geographic region, contact them, call John Kinsella, he won't mind, call your Regional Vice Presidents, they stand ready to assist, call the office ask for Ms Alessandro, she is "holding the troops together." All of us working together will make this a success and stand in the light of the proud truth of who we really are...family!

Of Course you're welcome to write me at chefdon@rochester.rr.com or call me days at 585-329-7339, evenings at 585-768-7339 I'll do what ever I can to direct your inquiry, let you know who to contact for the right answers, in general I'll do my best to be of service to the Gulf Coast residents, to ACF and to each of you.

By-the-way, PRAY!!

Chef Don Antinore in Rochester, New York