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Fork in the Road benefits healthy eating choices for students

Nell Larson, left, and Ben Nak treat themselves to the seafood bar at EATS Park City's Fork In The Road fundraiser Saturday evening, April 21, 2018.
Park Record file photo | The Park Record

What: Fork in the Road fundraiser for EATS Park City

When: 6:30 p.m., Saturday, April 27

Where: Legacy Lodge, Park City Mountain Resort, 1325 Lowell Ave.

Cost: $135

Web: eatsparkcity.org.

Meaghan Miller-Gitlin, executive director of EATS Park City, knows attendees at the annual Fork in the Road fundraiser have made the decision to support her nonprofit.

In turn, she and her staff will give attendees a better idea of what the organization does during the event, which will be held April 27 at Park City Mountain Resort’s Legacy Lodge.

EATS is an acronym for “eat awesome things at school,” and its mission is to ensure students have opportunities to develop lifelong and healthy habits, and access to fresh and healthy foods.



“The money from our fundraiser will fill in the gaps left open from our restricted-grant funds,” she said. “It will help us provide good, nourishing and appealing food to Park City students and their families.”

We will have some of the kids who are involved with our Curious Cooks program make some dishes that people can taste…” Meeghan Miller-Gitlin, EATS Park Cityexecutive director

This year’s Fork in the Road will be like a cocktail party where guests can mingle and explore some of the different programs EATS offers in the Park City School District, she said.



“We will have some of the kids who are involved with our Curious Cooks program make some dishes that people can taste,” Miller-Gitlin said.

The Curious Cooks is an after-school cooking program where students learn how to make nutritious snacks and meals, she said.

The program has been established in all four district elementary schools, Ecker Hill Middle School and Treasure Mountain Junior High, according to Miller-Gitlin. The Youth Sports Alliance also utilizes the program.

“We’re going to expand and offer family cooking classes this summer,” she said. “Parents and kids can prepare a meal and then sit down together to eat it and have conversations with fellow community members to build bridges.”

Fork in the Road will also feature a tower garden display that will include information about hydroponic gardening.

Hydroponic gardening is a plant growing method that uses mineral solutions instead of soils, Miller-Gitlin said.

“This type of gardening can help grow foods in deserts,” she said. “And while Park City isn’t a desert, we want to bring that information to the forefront so people can learn about these things.”

There are tower gardens at all of the Park City School District schools, she said.

“The one at Ecker Hill is tended by Annie Wallace, who along with Brad Gannon helped us start the garden program,” Miller-Gitlin said.

During the evening, guests will also learn about EATS’ collaboration programs with the Christian Center of Park City, Miller-Gitlin said.

One of those is the backpack program that supplies food to students in need and their families over weekends.

“Once school counselors let the Christian Center of Park City know about students who are food-insecure at home, the Christian Center sends food home with these kids in backpacks,” Miller-Gitlin said. “When EATS Park City began to help out, we wanted to provide more nutritious foods that were less processed.”

Another collaborative program is cooking demos.

“These are done with food that is found in the Christian Center’s food pantry,” Miller-Gitlin said. “It teaches people who use the food pantry of the different nutritious dishes that can be made from those foods.”

A silent auction and an opportunity drawing will also be part of the festivities.

Silent auction items include a pair of Rossignol Skis and Surefoot ski boots, a stay at Stein Eriksen Lodge with brunch at the Glitretind Restaurant, Miller-Gitlin said.

Anyone interested in donating items to the silent auction can email meaghan@eatsparkcity.org.

The opportunity drawing grand prize is a four-day, four-night stay at a luxury home at Granite Mountain Estates, just outside of Scottsdale, Arizona, during ski season, according to Miller-Gitlin.

In addition to these highlights, Fork in the Road will feature live music by singer and songwriter Michelle Moonshine and food stations provided by Park City Mountain Resort chef Alex Malmborg.

The stations will include a raw bar with oysters and shrimp cocktail, a fruit, vegetable and charcuterie platters station and desserts, Miller-Gitlin said.

“Vail’s EpicPromise is our presenting sponsor, so they provide space, food and items for our silent auction,” she said.

Registration is open at eatsparkcity.org. Guests can also purchase opportunity drawing tickets and make extra donations at the website, Miller-Gitlin said.

“We really want people to enjoy the cocktail-hour set up,” she said. “And hopefully people will leave with a better understanding of what we do, what our mission is and how they can bring better nutrition to their families as well.”

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