Toast to the Free Medical Clinic – and support those in need
Winchester, VA – It’s all for a great cause: to support the Free Medical Clinic of the Northern Shenandoah Valley! This year’s “Taste of the Town” is being held on Tuesday, November 5 at 6:30 p.m. at The Shenandoah Valley Golf Club, 134 Golf Club Circle in Front Royal, Virginia.
Some of the Shenandoah Valley’s finest restaurants and wine shops will be turning out “the best of the best” for everyone to enjoy.
Participating restaurants include:Violinos, Castiglia’s, Apartment 2G,
Thai Winchester, Hotel Strasburg, Winchester Country Club, Cantina D’Italia, and Historic Jordan Springs. Participating wine shops include: Terra Cotta Kitchens, Salute, D’vine Wines, and Murphy’s Beverages.
Taste of the Town, in it’s 13th year, is a black-tie optional affair, where restaurants from the Valley present a “tasting” of their best dishes for guests (who vote for their favorite dish for the “Peoples Choice” award), and a professional does a blind judging to determine the “Critics Choice” award.
The judge for this year’s event is Larry Mulcahey. Lawrence (Larry) Mulcahy was born in Brooklyn New York, the son of an Army officer, which afforded him the opportunity to experience living in places such as France, England, Germany, and Japan before returning to the East Coast. Inspired by the cuisine he encountered while living abroad, Larry enrolled in Baltimore’s International Culinary Arts School where he graduated at the top of his class.
Upon graduation from The Baltimore International Culinary School, Larry took his first professional position as the “Chef De Tounade” at Harbor Court in Baltimore, Maryland. He then moved to New York City where he served as the “Garde Manger” at the Ritz Carlton of New York. Through his extraordinary work in New York, The Ritz Carlton invited Larry to accept the position of “Saucier” at The Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City.
Shortly after, The Ritz Carlton promoted Larry again, this time to the position of “Sous Chef” at The Jockey Club in Washington D.C. There, Larry honed his skills to accept his first Executive Chef’s title at the newly built Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, VA. Larry spent the last five years of his operations career as the “Executive Banquet Chef” at The Willard Hotel in Washington D.C., where he remained until late 1999.
Larry currently lives in Manassas, Virginia with his wife Gale, and has been working with Sysco Foodservices for the past ten years as a consultant and Marketing Associate.
There is also a live auction at the event. Some of the items this year include: fabulous trips; dinners presented by some of the area’s doctors; original paintings (Eugene Smith, this year), and many more. raffle tickets will be sold throughout the evening by a group of young people sporting chef coats and hats.
The Master of Ceremonies is Nick Nerangis, and the Auctioneer is Barry Lee. Tickets are $150 each; tables can be reserved for $1,500 for a table of eight.
The Free Medical Clinic of the Northern Shenandoah Valley
is marking it’s 23rd year of providing the gift of health to the uninsured and less fortunate in our community. Notable community partners like the Winchester Medical Center, Valley Health, and private specialty practices (such as physicians, dentists, nurses and pharmacists), give so much of their resources and time every year.
FACT: There are approximately 7,000 residents in the Shenandoah Valley area who are uninsured, or living below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level. The clinic treats thousands of patients each year and dispenses over 40,000 prescriptions each year. The majority of patients are in the 40-60 range, although with the economic crisis we are facing, the age range has dropped to include a tremendous number of young men and women in their 30’s and 40’s, out of work for the first time in their lives.
The Free Medical Clinic of the Northern Shenandoah Valley is located at 301 North Cameron Street, Suite 100, in Winchester, VA 22601.
Call them at (540) 536-1680, or visit their web site.
