HOLLAND -- The dining service program at Hope
College has received two first-place awards in the 28th
annual Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards contest of the National
Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS).

Hope won first place awards for catering for the
"Presidential Ball" held on Saturday, Sept. 23, in
conjunction with the college's Homecoming activities, and
the Christmas "Madrigal Dinner" held on Friday-Saturday,
Dec. 8-9.

All of the contest's award recipients will be
recognized on Friday, July 13, during the association's 43rd
annual national conference, to be held in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Presidential Ball was sponsored by the
college's student-run Social Activities Committee (SAC), and
the Madrigal Dinner by the college's department of music.
Catering for both events was planned and implemented by
staff of the college's dining service, which is operated by
Creative Dining Services of Zeeland.

The Presidential Ball--in its second year--
featured the Homecoming theme of "Let's Go to the Movies,"
and was held at the college's Haworth Inn and Conference
Center. The event was set up like a movie premiere,
complete with red carpet and valet parking, and the ball
room was decorated with old-fashioned movie projectors,
popcorn boxes and other movie paraphernalia. Film shorts
and Charlie Chaplain movies played while those attending
danced and enjoyed hors d'oeuvres, punch and gourmet coffee.

The entry packet for the contest was prepared by
Lucy Jongekrijg, who is catering manager for the college's
Haworth Inn and Conference Center and dining services
manager for Cook Hall.

Held annually by the department of music for
several years, the Madrigal Dinner features members of the
Collegium Musicum singing and performing as members of the
court of King Henry VIII, with members of the audience
joining as distinguished guests. The evening's Renaissance
theme carries through the entertainment and the menu alike.

The catering staff decorated the dinner's Maas
Center venue to re-create a castle's grand feasting hall,
complete with tapestries and suits of armor. Candlelight
and buffets constructed of cut stone helped lend atmosphere,
and the wait staff worked costumed in monks' robes and serf
garb.

The entry packet for the contest was prepared by
Tim Blackburn, who is catering manager at Hope, and Chef Tom
Hoover, CCC.

Bob Van Heukelom, director of dining services at
Hope, noted that he was pleased with not only the quality of
the events that were recognized, but with the inter-
departmental interaction that marked them.

"I was very pleased with the work done both by
Lucy and her staff and Tim and his staff," he said. "And I
was especially happy to see the collaboration between the
dining services department, the music department and student
activities this year."

The Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards contest was
designed to promote creativity and sound nutrition in the
areas of food presentation, menu variety and merchandising.
The event is named for Loyal E. Horton, a former NACUFS
president and founding member of the association.

NACUFS is a trade association for campus dining
departments at institutions of higher education in the
United States, Canada and abroad. NACUFS is devoted to
promoting the highest quality of food service, and supports
its institutional and industry members with education,
training, technical assistance, information, scholarships
and research.

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