Thanks to a sold-out performance by popular cooking celebrity, restaurateur and best-selling cookbook author Paula Deen, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel donated $25,000 Saturday, Jan. 22 to the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation for a Digital Mammography Unit.
Harrah's Cherokee Casino & Hotel General Manager Darold Londo (left), popular cooking celebrity Paula Deen, and Human Resources and Community Relations VP Jo Blaylock (far right) present a $25,000 check to Cherokee Indian Hospital CEO Casey Cooper (second from right) as a donation to help purchase a digital mammography unit for the hospital. Proceeds from ticket sales to the Paula Deen show at the casino Jan. 22 made the donation possible. (Harrah's Cherokee photo)
“By purchasing tickets for tonight’s show, you made this donation to the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation possible,” Harrah’s Cherokee General Manager Darold Londo told the crowd. “Your generosity and affinity for Paula Deen will make this a healthier community for generations to come.”
Cherokee Indian Hospital Chief Executive Officer Casey Cooper accepted the $25,000 check, and thanked audience members on behalf of the community and the Eastern Band. “Thanks to you, generations of women here will watch their sons and daughters get married, see the births of their grandchildren and enjoy the many gifts of life each season brings,” he said. “This is a tremendous gift of lasting impact.”
The check was presented to Cooper as Paula Deen cheered the crowd for its generosity. Earlier in the day, she had cut the ribbon to officially open her newest restaurant, Paula Deen’s Kitchen, which is located in the lobby of new, 21-story Creek Tower at Harrah’s Cherokee. At Saturday night’s show, she got up-close-and-personal with the audience, sharing stories and anecdotes from her life and road to success.
During the show, the Queen of Southern home-style cooking also prepared a special Valentine’s Day meal of Wintergreens with Blackberry Pecan Dressing, Steak “Paula” with green beans and mashed potatoes, sautéed onions and wild mushrooms and her famous Key-Lime Pie. These specials will be featured at Paula Deen’s Kitchen through the holiday.
Paula Deen’s Kitchen is a full-service, 404-seat restaurant serving a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner. The new food outlet features the décor and ambiance of Paula Deen’s legendary home and kitchen in Savannah, GA. Adjacent to the restaurant is a 1,800-square-foot Paula Deen retail shop, offering cookbooks, spices, food items, cookware, logo-wear and gifts.
– Source: Harrah’s Cherokee
