March of Dimes Gourmet Gala
Race for Healthier Babies

Cabinet secretaries and members of Congress served as celebrity chefs at the annual March of Dimes Gourmet Gala on March 23 at the National Building Museum. Each celebrity chef and his or her spouse prepared their favorite appetizer in competition for a number of awards. Sen. Robert Bennett (RUT ) and his wife Joyce received the “Best Presentation Award” for their Salt Flatbread with Goat Cheese, Proscuitto and Arugula, while Sen. John Breaux (D-LA ) and his wife Lois won the “Health & Happiness Award” for their Tortilla Shrimp Bites.

This year’s gala, “The Race is on for Healthier Babies,” featured a NASCAR theme with drivers and stock cars strategically placed throughout the vast room. Over $756,000 was raised for the March of Dimes, $200,000 of which will be used to operate the Mama & Baby Bus, a mobile health clinic that provides free prenatal and dental care by visiting various public places in D.C.

Patricia McKeon, wife of Rep. Buck Mckeon	Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones

Sec. Transportation Norman Mineta with his wife Deni	Matt Kenseth

Sen. Richard Lugar with his wife Char	Richard Petty and Rep. John Tanner

Diane and Sen. Ben Nelson	Rep. Dennis Moore and Melanie McHugh

Lois Breaux , Sen. John Breaux and Rainey Chancellor	Ken and Mary Lucas

Tori Barnes, Rep. JoAnn Emerson, Rep. Tom Udall and Liz Leger

Photos by Zaid Hamid