So much for the "health benefits" of mountain biking!

Mike


http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/art...ews/news3.txt:


Local chefs cook up way to help a friend in need
By Tracy Agnew
Thursday, March 15, 2007 6:53 PM CDT


EPSON scanner image
A group of local chefs have teamed up to help raise funds for one of
their comrades at a North Suffolk restaurant Sunday night.

Sam McGann, head chef at Vintage Tavern at 1900 Governor’s Pointe
Drive, will join with six friends to raise money for their friend and
fellow chef Meredith Nicolls, who is a quadriplegic from injuries
suffered in a mountain biking accident. The six local chefs will
prepare and serve hors d’oeuvres in a cocktail-party style atmosphere.
The event also will include beer and wine, a silent auction and music.
Tickets are $100 per person. All the money goes to help Nicolls with
his medical expenses.

“Come one, come all,” said Nicolls. “It should be a nice evening,
there’s a lot of talented chefs there.

“They’re all friends of mine, and I’m just honored they all got
together in this way.”

He doesn’t know exactly what his bills have added up to so far, but
will have them for the rest of his life, he says. Between co-pays,
medications, doctors and specialists, they can add up quickly.

The accident happened last year when Nicolls was participating in the
Eastern Virginia Mountain Biking Challenge in York County. Despite the
fact that he had ridden the trail several times before the race, he
hit a downhill slope at a bad angle and fell. He is now paralyzed from
the shoulders down, although he has a little bit of feeling in his
shoulders, he said.

The silent auction at the event includes a trip to Charleston, having
one of the chefs come to the winner’s home to cook dinner, and more.

Nicolls was formerly head chef at Meredith restaurant, in Virginia
Beach, and at Café Rosso in Norfolk. The six chefs who will prepare
the hors d’oeuvres for the party are, in addition to McGann, Amy
Brandt of Bay Creek Resort, David Everett of Blue Talon, Bobby Huber
of Bobbywood, Sydney Meers of Stove, Tom Power Jr. of Fat Canary, and
Todd Jurich of Todd Jurich’s Bistro.

Tickets and reservations are available by visiting Vintage Tavern, or
calling 238-8808.


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I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande