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The Culinary Arts Academy at Charles Henderson High School played host to the Wiregrass Resource Conservation & Development Council and representatives from Coffee, Dale and Pike counties at the school cafetorium Thursday.

Paula Shute, CHHS Culinary Arts Academy instructor, said the luncheon was an opportunity for her students to plan, prepare and serve a luncheon that was rather “upscale.”

And, the students pulled out all the stops. Not only was the food well prepared and tasty, the presentation was outstanding, said Monica Carroll, a member of the council.

And Chef Shute agreed.

“The Wiregrass RC&D luncheon was prepared by our first, second and third year students and I could not have been more please,” Shute said. “They planned a ‘from scratch’ luncheon of steak, baked potato, bacon-wrapped bean bundles, rolls, strawberry shortcake and tea. This was an opportunity for the students to have a real-world experience. They worked really hard to make the luncheon a good dining experience for our guests.”

Shute said the luncheon was good experience for her students in that they not only prepared the food but served their guests.

“This gave them the opportunity to interact with their guests and that is valuable experience, too,” Shute said adding that it’s always good for the cook to get out of the kitchen. But, the students, laughingly, said it was back to the kitchen for them. There were dishes to wash, counters to clean and floors to sweep.

Ronald W. Davis, Wiregrass RC&D executive director, welcome the gathering and expressed appreciation for the involvement of the communities that it serves in Southeast Alabama, including Pike, Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva and Henry.

The RC&D councils were established for the expressed purpose of empowering rural people to help themselves through service, leadership and building relationships.

Representatives from Pike, Coffee and Dale counties were invited to share information about the funding they received for recent projects in their counties.

Pike County received $2,039 for its Conservation Education in Action program, $4,000 for the Project Learning Tree program, $3,000 for its Youth Leadership in Action program, $4,000 for Goshen’s Volunteer Fire Department Safety Enhancement, $2,000 for the County Road 7707 Flume Repair; and $2,0000 for the Tarentum Community Center Renovation.

Coffee County received $2,000 each for Forestry and Wildlife Days, Hawkins Williams Park, Elba Theater rehabilitation, Morrow Village Community Room, Elba Fire Rescue skid and Pathways.

Dale County received $2,000 for Christmas for the Elderly, $4,500 for Culpepper Park, $3,000 for Hands on Liberty/Super Citizens; $5,000 For FFA equipment and $3,500 for J. Adams Courtyard shade.

Davis said Wiregrass RC&D is proud to assist local counties by providing funds for worthwhile county projects.