More fun to come!

JUST ADDED: Tanners Creek at 5100 Colley Avenue has just announced an after-Thanksgiving party on Friday, November 27th. Once you are done eating turkey and just plain done with the family, wouldn't it be great to get out of the house and listen to some great music? House on Fire, one of Norfolk's terrific rock bands will be performing.

Bring your non-perishable food items and relax for awhile -- let someone else do the dishes!

All sorts of specials will be offered all night long to entice your generosity, so make sure you load up the car with a really big box!

I would also like to welcome the staff of Azar's Market and Cafe!

Boar's Nest

The first donations are in after the Boar's Nest rocking party last Saturday night. What a haul they have brought in for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia! And they are not done yet, with promises of still more contributions in the days to come.

University Pizza's event is day after tomorrow, and I just know they are going to work hard to topple the Boar's Nest. Stay tuned for this event and for more information. Restaurants are still calling to join the fun, and there may be other events to list soon.

More Friends!

Today I received confirmation of four more participants. I'd like to welcome into the group the staff members of Hell's Kitchen, Baxter's Sports Lounge and Tabb's at Riverview!

And a very warm welcome to the re-opened Painted Lady, one of my favorite restaurants. With the original owners taking the reins once more, it is my sincere hope to see this unique restaurant shine once again!

I have also heard whispers of other possibilties, so stay tuned!

The Momentum is Building!

To borrow a catch-phrase from all the construction in downtown Norfolk: The Momentum is Building! With only 65 of the invitational cans delivered, we have over 20 participants, and that number is surely to grow as we move past Thanksgiving into the holiday season. Just today, the staff members of California Pizza Kitchen, Kincaids and Joe's Crab Shack have pledged their support.

And we also received a family 4-pack of tickets to the Virginia Zoo to use as an incentive prize. The challenge is getting more exciting every day. Join us and help your community!

Events!

With only 20 cans/invitations delivered, we already have two events dedicated to increasing the donations to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia!



November 21st: Join the party at the Boar's Nest located at 4502 Monarch Way. That is in the new ODU student village. Admission is... what else? Non-perishable food items! (757) 961-5465



November 25th: University Pizza will have a surprise bartender from Hampden-Sydney to liven the fun. Cover charge is covered with your canned food donation! 5008 Colley Avenue (757) 423-0300 Check out their Facebook Event: Nuzzy and Maureen "Can" Hunger

http://www.facebook.com/share.php?appid=2344061033&src=box&tid=195036461263&u=greenbeanchallenge.com#/event.php?eid=195036461263&ref=mf

PRIZES!

It's time to talk about the prizes! There are some big changes to the way we'll draw the names of the winners, so we'll talk about that first, and then we'll talk about all the fun things you can win!

Any restaurant that donates a five pound minimum (about 10 cans) will receive ONE ticket to be used in the drawing. Any restaurant that donates an amount equal to the laundry basket (pictured above) will receive FIVE tickets for each basketful.

Now lets talk about the basket. The one pictured above has 30 cans in the bottom. If you shop carefully, this is about $15. The dry goods on top represent approximately $15 more, for a total of about $30. Spread this out over 10 or so employees and 5 weeks, and it really adds up to only pennies per person.

While it may seem like alot for one restaurant, I estimate that Dog-n-Burger gave the equivalent of two basketfuls during last year's drive. (I should mention that Dog-n-Burger was the smallest participating restaurant in terms of employees.) Some other estimates: Doumar's gave about 9 basketfuls, Tanner's Creek 7, California Pizza Kitchen 5, Freemason Abbey 5, Baker's Crust 4 and so on and on... So its not impossible to fill the basket.

You should also know that I am not going to take your donations and put them into the basket. We will "eye" the contribution together and make a decision about how many baskets it seems to be, and then issue that many tickets. All tickets will be put together into a container, and then we will have the random drawing. The more tickets your restaurant earns, the better your chances of winning.

Honestly, the reason for the large basket is to try and push you into collecting more food from your staff. The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia tells us there has been a 32% increase in the number of people seeking aid. Do you realize this represents about 90,000 more people? Even our own brothers and sisters in the Food and Beverage industry have joined the ranks of the unemployed. Favorites in our community have fallen this year, including The 219, Magnolia's and The Wine House. We really need to push harder than ever.

Let's talk about some of the prizes donated by some amazing people and organizations.

First, there are certificates for a one night stay at both the Marriott Waterside and Sheraton Waterside. Each certificate comes with its own regulations, and the winner is asked to adhere to all policies. Please use the certificate in the spirit it was given.

The Norfolk Convention and Visitor's Bureau has donated a large gift basket, filled with all sorts of tickets to attractions around the city. This is an amazing gift and can be shared among employees.

There are also two tickets to be used for either the American Rover or Victory Rover. Have fun sailing along the Elizabeth River! Plus there are 2 tickets to an ODU Basketball game, tickets for movies at both AMC and Regal theaters, and a family 4-pack to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. All of us in the industry are familiar with the 2010 Entertainment book, which includes all sorts of discounts, including many 2-for-1 deals at local eateries. According to the cover, if you use every discount in the book, you will save $17,000!

A family 4-pack of tickets to the Nauticus museum in downtown Norfolk! One of the areas hottest attractions!

JUST ADDED: A family 4-pack of tickets to the Virginia Zoo!

We are also giving SEVEN tickets to a show at the Little Theater of Norfolk, which offers the best in locally-cast theater. Productions you might see are "12 Angry Men" and "I Should Have Been In Pictures". And while the winning tickets will only be valid after the New Year, I strongly encourage you to check out their production of America's favorite holiday movie, "A Christmas Story", which is playing November 6th-22nd! Check out the link to the left for showtimes and prices.

Also, two tickets to the Generic Theater, the area's best venue for new productions, avant-garde theater and just-plain-fun theater adventures. Shows playing after the New Year include "Darwin in Malibu" and "Tuesdays with Morrie". Again, although the winning tickets are for 2010, the Generic Theater is also offering a holiday production of " A Tuna Christmas", December 8th-20th. Dozens of characters are brought to life by just two actors in a series of short vignettes that will have you howling in laughter. I've seen this show at the Generic before and it is a HOOT! Check out the link to the left for showtimes and prices.

And something completely original: Klass Act Productions, one of the areas hottest DJ and Karaoke providers is offering a free night of fun for your establishment. This company is HOT and highly in demand, so the winner will have to work closely with the owner to choose a date.

Isn't it exciting? Please check back to this post often, as I hope to have more information, and more prizes listed soon! And start collecting those non-perishable goods. Remember, the more tickets you earn, the better your chances.

HELLO AND WELCOME!

Hello and Welcome to the 2009 Green Bean Challenge, a benefit for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. Today is October 23, 2009 and it is time to get this challenge started. Chances are, if this is your first visit to this website, you have probably recieved a letter or e-mail asking for a donation to be used as a prize. Or possibly a strange and wayward can of green beans has found its way onto your desk. This is the site that explains it all!



Please notice the links to the left side of the blog. These links are there to help you navigate the many posts. I especially like the ones labeled Frequently Asked Questions and How to Help, although Explaining the Challenge really comes in handy, too. Foodbanks across the country are suffering this year, as the number of unemployed people and the outcry for help continues to rise. This is the year to make your effort count! Hopefully together we can double the amount from last year to two tons (or even more?) of food for our local neighbors who are struggling so much during this recession.

I truly, absolutely, hope to hear from you soon!

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Who is this for?

The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia


2) Are you only collecting green beans?

No, any non-perishable food item is accepted, and a wide variety is appreciated. Please check out the Top 10 list provided.


3) Should the restaurant give from its own pantry?

Each restaurant must make its own decisions; however, this challenge is generally geared toward the staff. Employees are encouraged to donate food from their own home pantries or to purchase canned food from their own tips.


4) Should the restaurant ask its patrons for donations, such as putting a box by the front door?

Again, each restaurant can make its own choices; however, this has proven to be one of the least effective ways of collecting donations. Some restaurants also complain the box detracts from their aesthetic.


5) We don't have anywhere to store the donations. Where should we put the food?

I will come to your establishment as often as you need for me to collect the donations. Also, I have known at least two restaurants that saved space by collecting in the trunk of a server's car.


6) Can I donate money?

Yes. The Foodbank can actually make a complete meal for one person for 29 cents.


7) What is your goal this year?

I would be overjoyed if together we can collect 3 tons of food. This is the dream for 2009. This is the reason for the print ads in the Downtowner and this blog - an effort to provide some publicity for a unique way to collect for the Foodbank. This effort can only be achieved by doubling the participating restaurants to more than 50. If Norfolk establishments are unable to meet this goal, I will take on considerable more pressure by inviting select eateries in the Virginia Beach and Chesapeake areas.


8) Who are you and why should I give to your challenge?

My name is Kirk Springer. I work as Concierge for the Waterside Marriott in downtown Norfolk, a position I have had for 6 years. Before this, I waited tables in a variety of restaurants throughout Hampton Roads, everything from an Irish bar called Batterson's, to more elite names such as the Trellis and Kingsmill Resort. I have twice been selected to serve the acting President of the United States. The participating restaurants and prize donors attest to my standing within the community. I would also mention that the person who selected last year's winners was Tony DiFilippo, the Director of the Norfolk Convention and Visitor's Bureau. He would not have donated his time if he did not believe in this food drive.

9) What do you get out of this?

I do not recieve any tangible compensation for this food drive. In fact, in previous years, I have spent hundreds of dollars of my own money in an effort to double, triple or quadruple the donations. I am often at odds on whether I shouldn't just write a check to the Foodbank and be done with it. Every single penny of cash donated has been turned over to the Foodbank; I do not keep anything to cover my own costs. But there are reasons for me to do this, the most important is that I am blessed with wonderful family and friends, I have a job and I eat alot. In fact, two years ago, when I handed out the invitations to the ninety restaurants, I realized I had eaten or drank at every single one of them. I MUST give back to my community.

Please, no glass containers!

NO GLASS CONTAINERS

NO GLASS CONTAINERS

NO GLASS CONTAINERS

NO GLASS CONTAINERS

Here's Another Fine-Dining Mess You've Gotten Me Into, Ollie

I have never quite figured out why the fine-dining restaurants give so little to this food drive. I know many of you throw charitable parties throughout the year, benefiting all sorts of great organizations. And yet these parties are often hosted by the owners of the restaurants, with the proceeds coming directly out of his or her pocket. Again, this particular food drive is aimed at the staff members and is not designed to dig into the restaurant's profits.

So in an effort to boast the donations from the staff of some of the best restaurants in Norfolk, I have an idea for a challenge within the challenge.

As I have stated before in this blog, there will be five weeks between the day the challenge begins and the final collection. This gives everyone five Fridays, five Saturdays, five Sundays and so on.

Pick ONE of those days, lets say a Friday for example. On Friday, every time you break $100 in tips, you have to buy a can of food (about 40 cents). So if you make $200, you have to buy 2 cans (80 cents), and if you make $300 on that Friday night, you commit to buying 3 cans of food.

If five or six servers would commit to this plan, which equals 4/1000 of their tip money- and if these servers committed to doing this all five Fridays, those employees would give far more than any fine-dining restaurant has given in any previous year.

Of course ideally, the servers would commit to this seven days a week, but I do not want to pressure anyone into giving away their holiday tips. I know very well what happens in the industry during the painfully slow months of January and February.

Just a couple of thoughts about this: a) this plan would only work if it were brought up often during shift "line-up" and b) this plan would probably only be successful if the servers who donated the 40 cents or more could see the money being put to use. In other words, designate someone to make a run to the Market at the end of the shift to purchase the cans. This way after a hard night, everyone can see where their quarters were spent.