Taking care of business with good taste

Posted by Emily Myers on May 22, 2015

BPA members show their drivers licenses with organ donor designation

Members of the Business and Professional Association of Western Delaware County (BPA) climbed onboard a rented tour bus for a special dining experience this past week.

Four locations hosted one course of the annual Dine-Around event, which showcased the generosity of the business community in an unexpected way. The hosts all donated their course, serving it up to members as they arrived at their location.

Hors d’oeuvres were served by Reggie McNeal, owner of the Dinner A’fare in the Olde Ridge Village shops. Many of the members had used the service, but for some the idea of a place to pre-prepare meals with all the ingredients at hand was a new concept.

Recipes are posted above each work station. All the necessary ingredients are made fresh daily and placed in the work area under the appropriate recipe. Once the ingredients are combined according to direction, they are packaged. The two sizes are small, which feed two to three people, and large packages, which serve four to six.

The packages can be taken home to be cooked the same evening or frozen. Ron Hudecheck said, “Boy, I wish I knew about this when I was a single dad.”

From left to right: Joell Alter, Lisa Dort, Jackie Spada — From left to right: Joell Alter, BPA President Lisa Dort, Jackie Spada

The next stop was Crozer Keystone Medical Plaza at Brinton Lake, where salad was served. Joell Alter, representing the Kidney Transplant Center, spoke about organ donation, turning what could have been an unappealing topic into one that generated much interest. “A person will never be considered too old to become an organ donor,” he said, explaining that approximately 123,000 people are on the organ transplant list.

Joe DiMarco of Excel Business Systems asked, “How many here are organ donors?” Most all of the group raised their hands. Since organ donors have a designation on their driver’s license, people got out their licenses for a group picture of the donors. Alter, an organ recipient himself, expressed appreciation of the organ donors' generosity.

Then Jackie Spada addressed the subjects of home care and hospice. She described the comfort and care offered at the home and inpatient facilities available through the Crozer Keystone Health System. She sent the group along with a package of cookies with a card that said: “Life is too short, eat dessert first.”

From left to right Kim Chiapetta, Brian Bradley, and Jim Murphy

The next stop was the Chadds Ford Tavern, where owner Brian Bradley and hostess Kim Chiapetta greeted the group with a series of three entrees, fish and chips, short ribs, and shepherd’s pie.

Hudecheck collected money for a 50-50 raffle, and the winner, Don Culp, received $100. Culp, the chairman of Twisted Vintner, the upcoming Concordville-Chadds Ford Rotary event, encouraged people to attend. The event generates funds for many community projects such as the Rachel Kohl Library, the Brandywine Battlefield Park, Camp Bournalyf , the Brandywine Youth Club, as well as other Rotary programs.

Anton J. Dell’Orefice helps himself to the dessert buffet at Brandywine Prime

The last stop was back where the group started, Brandywine Prime. Owner Michael Majewski welcomed members with a buffet of desserts and coffee. Many BPA meetings throughout the year are held at Brandywine Prime.

While all agreed that the event was fun and delicious, the context was a generous community taking care of business.

The next BPA event will be held at Galer Estate Winery & Vineyard. For more information about BPA, visit http://bpaofwesterndelco.com/

Photographs are courtesy of Sofia Clinger of Hair Salon Countryside Coiffures.

About Emily Myers

Emily Myers has lived and worked in Chadds Ford for over thirty five years. She founded the parent company of Chadds Ford Live, Decision Design Research, Inc., in 1982. ChaddsFordLive.com represents the confluence of Myers' long time, deep involvement in technology and community. Myers was a founding member of the Chadds Ford Business Association and currently serves on its board of directors. Her hobbies include bridge, golf, photography and Tai Chi. She lives with her husband, Jim Lebedda, in Chadds Ford Township.