PACES Hosts Local Foods Showcase and Farm to Table Dinner at SUNY Potsdam

PACES Dining Services Partners with Renzi Foodservice to Highlight Local and New York State Foods on Sept. 23 and 27

POTSDAM, NY (09/16/2016)(readMedia)-- Potsdam Auxiliary College and Educational Services (PACES) Dining Services will showcase regional producers with an upcoming Local Foods Showcase and the annual Farm to Table Dinner at SUNY Potsdam.

PACES has a longstanding history of supporting and working with growers, suppliers and distributers in New York State. PACES is a proud supporter of local businesses, seeking collaborations with regional and New York State producers and suppliers, and working to purchase from local vendors as much as possible. In 2015, PACES purchased more than $500,000 worth of goods from 37 New York State vendors, and this year, to date it has already spent approximately $487,000 on goods from New York vendors.

PACES and Renzi Foodservice of Watertown, N.Y., have partnered to offer a free Local Foods Showcase on Friday, Sept. 23 from 1 to 5 p.m., in SUNY Potsdam's Barrington Student Union. The showcase will feature goods from Renzi Foodservice, Puccia & Sons, Chobani Yogurt, Three Bears Gluten-Free Bakery and Pepsi Bottlers of Ogdensburg. There will be samples and product information available.

A family-owned distributor business based in Watertown, Renzi Foodservice is a critical piece of the New York State food supply chain for PACES. Renzi partners with PACES to provide items such as coffee from Paul deLima (Cicero, N.Y.), eggs from Black River Valley (Carthage, N.Y.), pizza and bread dough from Rich's (Buffalo, N.Y.) and yogurt from Chobani (Norwich, N.Y.), among others.

The annual Farm to Table Dinner will be offered on Tuesday, Sept. 27 from 4 to 7:30 p.m., in the Lehman Dining Center, and will be open both to campus and community. Campus community members can use a meal swipe, flex, FSP, Bear Express or guest passes to attend. Cash and credit cards are also accepted. The cash entry price is $12, plus tax.

The Farm to Table Dinner will feature locally grown and produced products from a variety of area vendors, including: Donahue Farms, Daniel Martin's Farm Stand, S & B Maple Products, Glazier Meats and several local orchards.

The menu includes herb roasted chicken, brussels sprouts with bacon and butter, veggie burgers made from local produce, parmesan acorn squash, hamburgers, hot dogs, local breads and cheeses, lemon-scented beans, stuffed cabbage rolls (made with either seitan or beef), oxtail stew, Montreal-seasoned beef and an array of desserts made with local fruits.

About PACES Dining Services:

Potsdam Auxiliary and College Educational Services Inc. (PACES) is a not-for-profit corporation operating under contract with SUNY Potsdam. PACES' mission is to offer high-quality products and services, while maximizing customer value and financial return, to the benefit of the larger SUNY Potsdam community. PACES Dining Services was rated the No. 1 dining service for comprehensive colleges in the SUNY system, in the Student Opinion Satisfaction Survey. For more information about what makes PACES No. 1, visit www.potsdam.edu/offices/paces.

About Renzi Foodservice:

Renzi Brothers was founded by Michael and Roy Renzi as a fresh wholesale meat distribution company in 1977. In the late '90s, Mike's sons, John, Jude and David Renzi took an active leadership role in the company, along with their four sisters, all of whom have played or continue to play an integral role within the family business. With new leadership and vision came a new name and mission for the company. Renzi Bros. Inc. became Renzi Foodservice, one of the largest family-owned and operated companies in Northern and Central New York.

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges-and the oldest institution within SUNY. As the College marks its bicentennial in 2016, SUNY Potsdam will celebrate a 200-year legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 4,100 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and leadership in the arts. Empowered by a culture of creativity, the campus community is nearing the completion of Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, which has raised $33.5 million for scholarships and programs.

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