The Roaring Fork Valley’s local celebrity chef Susie Jimenez is again hosting Imagine 2,
to benefit River Bridge Regional Center. Fans of the Food Network will recognize Susie
as the runner-up from Season 7 of “Next Food Network Star.”
Imagine 2 will take place on Saturday, February 22, 2014, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at
The Gathering Center at The Orchard in Carbondale. Event-goers will be treated to
wine and beer, live music by the Starletts, dancing, silent auction, as well as a delicious
culinary experience hosted by Susie’s Spice It Up and Presenting Sponsors Bravo Fine
Catering + US Chef Assoc., The Pullman, Town, Phat Thai, Allegria, Gandhi India’s
Cuisine, and Tempranillo.
The plan for Imagine was hatched over coffee between neighbors – Susie Jimenez lives
near River Bridge Executive Director Blythe Chapman. As their friendship developed,
so did Susie’s desire to learn more about local needs, and to be a part of truly making a
difference in the lives of local children. “I feel so fortunate for the opportunities I’ve had
in my life and to live in such a wonderful community. I’m thrilled that I can make a
difference in fighting child abuse and supporting victims,” states Jimenez.
Susie Jimenez’s relationship with food began while picking fruit with her parents who
came to California from Mexico. In 2011, she was one of two final contestants in the
Food Network show “Next Food Network Star.” Susie has also hosted a Spanishlanguage
cooking show on the station Utilísima, owns the catering company Spice It
Up, and recently opened Trenza in Houston to rave reviews.
Blythe Chapman is enthusiastic about Imagine 2 growing increasingly popular and
successful each year: “We’re overwhelmed by the generosity of our sponsors and the
number of chefs who are on board this year.”
Chapman hopes that in addition to raising much needed funds for child abuse treatment
and prevention, Imagine 2 will raise community awareness. She explains, “It is an
unfortunate fact that child abuse exists in our valley, and we realize it’s a difficult thing
for people to acknowledge. But the good news is that River Bridge is here to help
children and families, from the very beginning stages of disclosure, through treatment,
and into recovery.”
River Bridge Regional Center is a child advocacy center based in Glenwood Springs,
serving the communities of Eagle, Garfield, Pitkin and Rio Blanco Counties. River
Bridge uses a multidisciplinary approach to the prevention, investigation and treatment
of child abuse. Within a warm, child-friendly environment, River Bridge provides hope
and healing to neglected and abused children and their families through counseling,
advocacy, and investigation services.
For more information about River Bridge Regional Center or Imagine 2, please call 970-
945-5195 or email info@riverbridgerc.org. To purchase tickets for this event, please
visit https://imagine2.eventbrite.com
