December 11, 2019
Good Morning Sponsors and Friends,
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
I hope all is well with you and your family.
Taste of St. Croix is gearing up to launch our 20-year celebration (April 2, 2020) in just days. With five (5) months to go before this grand celebration, we’d love it if you would consider partnering with us again, as we celebrate this grand occasion for the Virgin Islands as a whole, but for St. Croix in particular.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to share some of the things we have been doing post-Taste 2019:
- Closing out this year’s 2019 event
- Presentation of awards to winners and analyzing Restaurants/Participants surveys of the event
- Donations to community groups and community initiatives (over $20,000) was donated (see attached)
- $10,000 to the Lighthouse Mission
- $ 5,000 to the Women’s Coalition
- $1,800 contribution to the Local Farmers’ Market Coupon/Grant Program (in collaboration with the V.I. Department of Agriculture)
- $8,800 contribution to the Restaurants Grant Program
- Smaller donations and grants of $500 or less that were not included in the above amounts
- Relocation and set up our new office space (We are still in Sunday Market Square/Time Square but in a new location).
This year, more than two-hundred (200) off-island visitors/ticket purchasers attended the event based on data from Eventbrite.
Held annually, the Taste Winners’ Cook-Off (see attached) brings winners from Taste of St. Croix, together for a professional ‘winners’ cook-off, Iron Chef-style. This year’s 2019 Cook-Off winner, Chef Digby Stridiron received an all-expense paid weekend to attend A TASTE OF 2 ISLANDS on St. Thomas held on November 21st as his prize.
For the past 10 years, our Taste office has opened at least 20 hours per week. This is because we are not only committed to the culinary industry of St. Croix but also the cultivation and supporting the “seeds of opportunity” for the overall growth of the Virgin Islands (see attached for the past accomplishments of our team).
As we continue our 2019 endeavors, and look ahead to the launch of our 2020 initiatives, please consider sponsoring our grand 20-year celebration. A meeting within the next two (2) weeks with your team to solidify your support of Taste directly or indirectly would be greatly appreciated.
Should you require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at 340.690.2424 or via email at [email protected]
Once again, thank you in advance for your support!
Respectfully,
Collin W.S. Hodge
Taste of St. Croix
p.s. Divi Carina Bay Resort remains closed until late 2020. We will be in downtown Christiansted once again.
