Career Center students participate in Bradford Farm Tomato Festival

                    

The College of Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) at the University of Missouri hosted the 11th annual Tomato Festival held at Bradford Farm Research Center, September 3, 2015. Visitors were able to taste over 100 varieties of tomatoes as well as sample products made from tomatoes grown on the Bradford Research Farm.  CACC Culinary students Giovanni Bartolacci, Lexi Miller, Chloe Sage, Taylor Moreau and Malcom Boone were among the local chefs who prepared dishes for the audience to sample. Giovanni Bartolacci, made a smoked tomato gazpacho with a balsamic reduction. Lexi Miller made a deconstructed bruschetta with ground cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and honey balsamic reduction. The students visited Bradford Farm prior to the festival to select their ingredients and brought them back to Columbia Area Career Center to prep them for the event. Guests attending the tasting who registered were given tickets to vote for their favorite prepared dish.
Columbia FFA was also on hand to assist with parking duties.

Taylor Moreau, Culinary Instructor Katie Frink, Malcolm Boone and Giovanni Bartolacci

Chloe Sage, Lexi Miller and Taylor Moreau

Columbia FFA member, Lily Grant directs cars at the Tomato Festival

Repair It Forward Donates Computers to Love, INC

The Repair It Forward Program and Love, INC have partnered again to provide computers to those in need.

Repair It Forward is a computer recycling program based at Columbia Area Career Center. Students enrolled in the A+IT Essentials class rebuild computers donated by area residents and provide them to those who do not have access to a personal computer.

Love, INC, a local faith-based charity, provides a variety of goods and assistance to the underserved. The group identifies gaps in services in Columbia, and works to partner with volunteers, churches and agencies to address those needs.

"Love, INC of Columbia has been very fortunate to receive this donation...and our clients are so grateful when they receive these computers. We could not offer this service without the generous donations of Columbia Area Career Center," said Mary Wardenburg of Love, INC.

This is the second computer donation that Repair It Forward has made to Love, INC. Since it's 2014 inception, more than two dozen local businesses and charities have been involved in providing more than 150 computers to those in need.

Career Center instructor, David Hopkins points out that Repair It Forward relies on public donations to keep moving forward. If you have a computer, laptop or tablet you are interested in donating, please drop it off at Columbia Area Career Center, 4203 S. Providence Road or contact David at dhopkins@cpsk12.org .



Students load computers into Love, INC truck

Refurbished computers being donated to Love, INC