HOW THE GRINCH TRIED TO STEAL CHRISTMAS IN SOUTH FLORIDA

The presents filled the church halls, everything from MP3s to Justin Bieber CDs. The First Born Church in Fort Pierce had captained a successful toy drive for the under privileged children in the area. Volunteers donated their time to make every gift look as beautiful as possible. The gifts were set to be delivered Christmas Eve and everyone was excited to see the look of joy and excitement on every child's face.

Just three days before the big delivery, a Grinch broke into the church and stole $200 worth of gifts intended for the local children. The pastor of the church knew that the Grinch would not prevail, and that the toy drive could still be a holiday miracle for so many people.

When Renee Radabuagh, CEO Paragon Events, heard about the heart-wrenching story she was determined to defeat the Grinch and make Christmas happen just as the pastor had envisioned. 

The day before Christmas Eve Mrs. Radabaugh was able to replace every gift that had been robbed from the church. " I am so blessed and fortunate to be able to help. Every child should experience unwrapping a present on Christmas morning."

So, much like the Dr. Seuss story, the Grinch tried to steal Christmas, but the true Christmas spirit will always overcome. Happy Holidays! And YOU still have a chance to make a difference in the lives of others this holiday. Please click here so that Paragon Events may donate on your behalf to the charity of your choice.

Paragon Events staff with local church members

             

Santa Came Early

"How will I ever be able to keep this away from my kids," Lisa exclaims after being notified of her Fall Formula Sweepstakes win. Lisa participated in the 6-week Fall Formula Sweepstakes sponsored by Paragon Events- the grand prize, a new iPad2. "I am so excited about the new found mobility I will have. My new iPad2 will be the perfect assistant in my travels across the state and country." When asked about which app she can't wait to download, she quickly replied, "Bento. To help me manage contacts, track projects, plan events and organize the busy details of my life."
"I am so thrilled to have been selected as the sweepstakes winner. It feels like Santa has arrived early this year!"  Congratulations Lisa!

Lisa Rawlins

SMILE FOR A GREAT CAUSE

Behind that giant smiley face, is Renee Radabaugh's teenage son, Dakotah.
As a parent, you are probably constantly encouraging your kids to do the right thing or to get involved in the community. Above all, parents plead with their children to simply stay out of trouble. As a mom, Renee says she "could not be more proud of my Dakotah." Dakotah decided to not only meet all of his mom's requests, but he went a step beyond and volunteered his extra time (which seems to be so valuable to most teenagers) for the Imagination Organization. The organization encourages at risk youths to get off or stay off drugs and alcohol, and that is definitely something to smile about.

As the holiday season is upon us, we at Paragon Events felt the need to give as well. Our Featured Event this month, "One Click. One Wish. Make a Difference." is one all about helping those who could use a helping hand this holiday season. To see how Paragon would like to make a difference on your behalf please visit the featured event page.
Happy Holidays!

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME FOR DINNER PARTIES

As event planners, food is a big part of what we do and we know that the holiday season is packed full of holiday parties. Here are two simple hors d oeuvre recipes that we have found are a hit with guests.

Tomato Tart:
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 4 medium tomatoes, sliced 
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup crumbled Chevre (goat cheese)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, basil, marjoram, thyme) 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425F. Roll out the pastry into a 10-inch tart pan and bake it for 18 to 22 minutes until it puffs and turns golden brown. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. 

Spread the Dijon mustard in an even layer over the browned pastry, leaving 1/2-inch of the edges empty.  Arrange the tomato slices over the mustard. Sprinkle the tomato slices with the sea salt, pepper, goat cheese and herbs. Serve the tart at room temperature or chilled. This goat cheese and tomato tart makes 8 to 10 servings. 

Cheesy Mushroom:

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 16 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley 
• 1/3 cup shredded Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese 

Preparation: 

Heat butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. when butter is foamy, add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned,stirring constantly.

Whisk together the sour cream, egg yolk, and salt and pepper; stir into the mushrooms. Heat through, stirring. Spoon mushroom mixture into a shallow baking dish; sprinkle with the chopped parsley and shredded cheese. Bake at 425F for ten minutes, until cheese is melted.

Serves 4.

Bon appetit! We wish you a very happy holiday with lots of happy gatherings. Please let us know how the dishes tasted at your dinner party.

And if you find that you could use a few more elves in the kitchen, Paragon Events offers several catering options for your special event.  

KICKING OFF CHRISTMAS IN WASHINGTON, DC

Happy Holidays at The Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center! Paragon Events was at the Gaylord managing a week long Government Conference. There were 50 attendees from 8 countries in attendance. Along with the planned activities, dinners and meetings, our guests were able to enjoy the Holiday light show spectacular put on by the Gaylord!