Play to Win "Beef & Beer" Raises Big Funds for Camden Youth

Chef Aaron  and the board of directors for Play To Win, Inc. officially launched with a "bodacious" "Beef & Beer" Fundraiser at Hathaway's Restaurant in Cinnaminsion, NJ earlier this month!

Hoping to raise funds for Play to Win programs that will work to engage male youth in academic and interpersonal activities, the fundraiser drew a crowd of about 200 people, and raised nearly $10,000 to support the after-school program that will be held at Camden’s Academy Charter High School in the fall of 2011.

Hosting the event, Chef Aaron was joined by Christina Pirello of PBS’s Christina Cooks and an instructor

at The Restaurant School in Philadelphia, as well as George Kyrtatas, cookbook author of My Big Fat Greek Feast, food consultant and owner of Hathaway’s Restaurant. Patty Jackson of WDAS FM was also

present to show her support. 

Attendees were treated to a three-slider sandwich sampler,each created by Chefs Aaron, Christina & George, as well as Big Daddy's special "One and Done Cocktail", which was sold to the first 100 people in a special “Play To Win” glass.

Attendees were also able to bid on items donated from local business & sponsors during the silent auction. Hathaway’s Restaurant and the Kyrtatas family were the primary sponsors for the event donating all

the food and most of the staffing for the evening. “We are thrilled to be able to help fund this worthy

cause that will help youth in Camden stay on the right path", said Chef George. Other

donors to the event were Gallo Family Wine, Barefoot Wine, Flying Fish Beer, DJ Maki, Janice

Smith Photography, Jack Reynolds Photography, SJ Magazine, Elite Island Resorts and other local

businesses who donated raffle items.

PTW’s goal is to encourage youth to be committed to their academics as they complete their education and develop, and this event was just a start to getting PTW up and running with the after school program.The board envisions a six-week summer program and special trips to educate and expose these young men to a

world them may not know, but they can't do it without the help of the community. To make a donation,
go to www.playtowininc.org.

For to view some pictures from the event taken by the Courier Post, click here, and to see Patty Jackson's wrap up of the "Beef & Beer" visit her YouTube channel.