Thanks to Mike Barney and everyone at Canaan Baptist for hosting our latest reception on April 30. The yield may not have been as immediately fruitful as we had hoped, but we did come away with four new volunteers and one new cook (two total for the evening). We ended the month of April with a total of 9 cooks registered:

--Mike Bruton
--Eric Copeland
--Donavan Fountain
--Jemal Gaines
--Ronald Johnson
--D. Jones
--Curtis McClinton
--Dannie Parker
--Titus Welcome

Not as many as we had hoped for, but not that far off from where we've been at the same point over the years. However, the times are different so we clearly have our work cut out for us from this point forward. On the occasion of our milestone 20th anniversary, we invite you to commit TODAY to participate in Real Men Cook on Father's Day 2009. Click on the applicable link below to register as a cook or volunteer online. Online cook registration payments will be processed through the PayPal account of Real Men Charities, Inc.

Online cook registration:
http://www.realmencook.com/phi_join.html

Online volunteer registration:
http://realmencook.com/PhiladelphiaVolForm.html

THE MONTH AHEAD:
Over the years, May tends to be a "make or break" month. You can help us achieve success in one or more of the following ways in May:

Register yourself or someone else as a 2009 event chef (we would like to end the month with at least 35 registered cooks at a cost of $35 per registered cook

Help us secure a new satellite ticket location in one of the geographic areas indicated below

Pick up & distribute a batch of palm cards (now available) or a few posters (when available)

Get at least 10 tickets on consignment; a bloc of 10 (or more) adult tickets can be purchased at a 25% discount if paid for in advance

Volunteer for at least one of the promotional events

COOK REGISTRATION INCENTIVES:
First and foremost, Real Men Cook is about the participating event chefs. Professional chefs and men from all walks of life are being sought to participate as event chefs in this year's event. If you are already committed to participating this year, we want and need to get you registered sooner rather than later! Similarly, if you are committed to having someone else participate as an event chef, get that person registered today! To entice you to register yourself and/or others as a 2009 event chef in Philly NOW, we still have the following cook registration incentives in place:

--FREE COOKBOOK: The next five men participating as an event chef for the first time in 2009 who register by Friday, May 15 will receive a complimentary copy of "Real Men Cook: 100 Recipes for Family Celebrations," written by event co-founder K. Kofi Moyo and the foreword by President Barack Obama.

--FREE ART MUSEUM TIX: All cooks registered by May 10 will be entered into a drawing for a family 4-pack of tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the Cézanne exhibit has been extended until May 31, 2009.

--FREE PHILLIES TIX: The first 15 cooks who register by 5/22/09 will receive two tickets to attend the Phillies vs. Florida Marlins game on Tuesday, May 26 as part of Real Men Cook Night (courtesy of Real Men Cook and The World Champion Phillies). The first five volunteers to register at least two new cooks by 5/22/09 will receive two tickets to attend the game as well!

REGISTER ONLINE NOW be a cook or volunteer:

http://www.realmencook.com/phi_join.html (cook registration)
http://realmencook.com/PhiladelphiaVolForm.html (volunteer registration)

NOTE: Registration for the purpose of qualifying for any of these incentives will require submission of a cook registration form and the $35 registration fee.

So there you have it. IT'S ON!!!

SPONSORSHIP UPDATE:
There is some additional good news to report at this time. The Philadelphia Tribune has officially renewed its sponsorship commitment. Still a couple of deals out there we are hoping to get done.

TICKETS & PALM CARDS:
Palm cards and tickets are now available. Posters should be available by May 22 or sooner. Tickets are available on consignment. The cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. If you (or someone you know) plan to be an event cook, you should seriously consider the discount ticket purchase plan we offer. When you purchase 10 or more adult tickets up front, you can buy them for $15 each and resell them for the full face value of $20. This $50 differential on a bloc of 10 tickets can be used to defray your out of pocket expenses for the ingredients of the dish you will serve at Real Men Cook.

There is now a ticket sales incentive plan consisting of two components in effect:

1) The cook or volunteer who sells the most adult tickets at full price ($20) will receive a $100 VISA gift card, and we will contribute $100 to the charity of your choice in your name. You must sell a minimum of 40 tickets to qualify for this incentive.

2) All cooks and volunteers earn one complimentary adult ticket for each 10 adult tickets you sell.

Meanwhile, we have several locations lined up as ticket outlets this year (see list below):

--Ticket Annex (www.ticketannex.com or 866-388-4TIX)
--Rodeo Kidz/721 S. 4th Street (South Philly)
--Perfect Touch Graphics & Framing/2443 N. 50th Street, rear (Wynnefield Heights)
--A Green Thing/University Square-3901 Market St. (West Philly)
--The Legendary Blue Horizon/1314 N. Broad St. (North Philly)
--Communities in Schools/2000 Hamilton Street (Art Museum Area)
--Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity IHQ/2322-24 N. Broad St. (North Philly)
--Point of Destination Cafe/Upsal Train Station-R8 (Mt. Airy)
--Tea Country Tea Shop/6722 Old York Rd. (Oak Lane)
--Mackdaddy's/5003 Wayne Ave. (Germantown)
--Canaan Baptist Church/5430 Pulaski Avenue (Germantown)
--WE Copy 4 U /510 Williamstown Rd. (Winslow Center-Sicklerville, NJ)

We would like to secure additional satellite ticket locations in the following areas: Frankford, SW Philly, South Philly, West Philly, West Oak Lane, Nicetown, Northern Liberties (all in Philly), key suburban areas in Montgomery & Delaware counties, Chester, Camden (NJ) and Wilmington (DE). Hair salons & barber shops are potentially good locations, as are certain other types of retail or service business establishments and community based organizations with a public place of business (e.g., church, YMCA). The proposition to present to any such location is as follows:

--Establishment must be willing to accept responsibility for an allotment of tickets on consignment, per the terms and conditions stipulated on the ticket sales contract.

--Establishment must be willing to allow posters and palm cards to be displayed and/or disseminated at their location.

--The establishment will be listed on posters and in press releases as a ticket location if they agree to be an outlet. [NOTE: Posters will go to press on or about 5/15/09.]

--The establishment will have an opportunity to include a promo item (e.g., flier, brochure, key chain, etc.) in goodie bags to be given away at Real Men Cook.

--Preference is for locations that will not impose a service charge on ticket purchases to purchasers.

Beyond ticket outlets, we want to get blocs of tickets in the hands of as many cooks and volunteers as possible to begin selling. WE NEED TO TAKE MORE OWNERSHIP OF THE EVENT IN ALL WAYS!

If you think you can secure a location as a ticket outlet, or want to obtain your own supply of tickets to sell on consignment, please contact any of the following:

Monique Turner (Ticket Distribution Co-Chair): 267- 972-7224 or niqueaka@yahoo.com
Shahid Wilds (Ticket Distribution Co-Chair): 267-216-6116 or Shahid.Wilds@dla.mil
Bruce B. Rush (RMC Event Mgr): 215-913-2212 or RMCPhila@aol.com

Get your tickets & palm cards NOW!

PROMOTIONS UPDATE:
Palm cards have been available since early April. Please connect with me or any member of the management team listed below to get your supply. Our blitz of street promotions is underway. Everyone is expected to help with this in some form or fashion. Below is a list of upcoming events where the least of what we need is for palm cards to be handed out:

Saturday, May 2:
--"America I AM:" Last weekend of this special exhibit at the National Constitution Center (6th & Arch). We need a team of 2-4 people to pass out palm cards between 12-2 PM.

--Mt. Airy Day: This annual community festival takes place from 11 AM-6 PM on Germantown Avenue between Johnson and Upsal Streets. We need a street team of 4-6 people to pass out palm cards between 2-4 PM.

--"Dad For A Day:" Stage play presented by Arts Sanctuary at Church of the Advocate (18th & Diamond); showtime is 7:30 PM; need 2-4 volunteers to pass out palm cards from 6:30-7:45 PM.

Sunday, May 3:
--"America I AM:" Last day of this special exhibit at the National Constitution Center (6th & Arch). We need a team of 2-4 people to pass out palm cards between 2-4 PM.

Friday, May 8:
--Senior Healthy Living Expo: Event will take place from 10 AM-4 PM at the PA Convention Center. We need a team of 2-4 people per shift (10A-12P and 12-2P) to staff our promotional table. We are also still working on setting up a cooking demo.

Saturday, May 9:
--Jazz on the Ave: This concert festival will take place from 12-7 PM. The main concert stage will be located on the 1500 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue in North Philly. The street will be closed to traffic from Broad Street to 17th Street and there will be vendors, a small children's carnival, face painting and other activities. We need a street team of 4-6 people to pass out palm cards between 3-5 PM.

If you are available to help staff any of the promo events listed above, please contact Volunteer Chairperson Lisa "Lee" Garnett (truessence.prez@hotmail.com or 267-303-0871) ASAP. Also, if you want to suggest an event or activity where you think Real Men Cook can and should have a presence, contact Promotions Chairperson Tiffany Murphy (tiffanydeanna@gmail.com or 267-246-7342). With regard to promo opportunities, we are looking for large indoor & outdoor events where we can pass out palm cards, and indoor events (e.g., banquets, expos) where we can set up an info table or provide tickets as a door prize in exchange for being able to distribute event promo literature.

DATES OF INTEREST:
--May 8: Senior Healthy Living Expo @ PA Convention Center
--May 13: CISP 11th Annual Teen Summit @ PA Convention Center
--May 26: Real Men Cook Night at the Phillies game

MANAGEMENT TEAM:
While much of our core management team is the same as in 2008, there are some key chairmanship vacancies that need to be filled for 2009. If you are so inclined, this is also your opportunity to be part of Michele Parker's core team for 2009 and beyond.

Certification & Compliance/Christopher Baskins
Cook Recruitment/Vacant
Cookbook & Recipes/Mike Barney
Cook Coordinators/Brian Butcher
Entertainment/Ashley Scott
Finance/Doug Harrell
Health & Wellness Pavilion/Steve Sumners
Hospitality/Michele Parker
Logistics/Dawnmarie Hackett Clemmons
Production/Larry Kendricks
Promotions/Tiffany Murphy
Publicity & PR/Gwen Carter
Security/Judy Walston
Sponsor & VIP Relations/Courtney Muhammad
Tech Support & Graphics/Carmen Scott
Ticket Distribution/Shahid Wilds & Monique Turner
Volunteer Recruitment/Lisa "Lee" Garnett

If you are interested in serving as a chairperson for one of the subcommittees listed as vacant, let me know that ASAP. Even if you are not able to participate as an event chef or event day volunteer in
2009, there is certainly still something you can do to help move our agenda forward. If you have not already done so, let me know what you are willing and able to do so I can pass that info along to the appropriate chairperson listed above.

If you were an active volunteer last year or have registered as a new volunteer this year, expect a phone call or e-mail from a chairperson within the next couple of weeks to discuss your committee assignment and event day intentions. If you have already registered as a cook or have given a verbal commitment that you plan to participate this year, be on the lookout for a phone call to discuss your commitment and responsibilities (cook registration, recipe submission, Safe Food Handling workshop, etc.).

For more Philly info:
http://realmencook.com/Philadelphia.html

Mark your calendar now for the 20th anniversary celebration of Real Men Cook (Sunday, June 21, 2009), and find out why they call it the "greatest Father's Day show on earth!" Every year, this "party with a purpose" is a fun filled food-tasting celebration of families, fathers and REAL MEN not to be missed! Between the food, entertainment, children's activities, health screenings, cooking demonstrations and door prizes, this event has something to offer everyone.

In addition, pick up your copy of the paperback edition of "Real Men Cook: 100 Recipes for Family Celebrations" by Real Men Cook co-founder K. Kofi Moyo at bookstores and online sites. The foreword was written by President Barack Obama. This book makes an excellent gift anytime.

REAL MEN WORK...REAL MEN PROVIDE...REAL MEN CARE...AND REAL MEN COOK!

R U Down? SPREAD THE WORD!!!