Local Restaurants and Diners Participate in “Dining Out for Life” To Benefit AIDS-Related Community Services Thursday, April 28th

For immediate release

Hawthorne, NY (April 2005) — Restaurant-goers have the opportunity to help people living with HIV/AIDS on Thursday, April 28th by going to restaurants participating in “Dining Out for Life,” an international program benefiting local AIDS service agencies. In the Hudson Valley region, the beneficiary of the program is AIDS-Related Community Services (ARCS).

ARCS is the largest organization in the Hudson Valley solely dedicated to serving individuals and families infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS in the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, and Sullivan. In New York State the Hudson Valley region is second only to New York City in HIV infection rates.

“Just by enjoying a pleasurable activity like going out to eat, supporters of ARCS can make a valuable contribution to our mission of providing HIV/AIDS education, prevention and client services,” says Jeffrey Kraus, Executive Director of ARCS. “Participating restaurants in Dining Out contribute a generous percentage of that night’s proceeds to our agency,” he said.

Westchester restaurants participating include: Cortlandt Colonial Restaurant, Cortlandt Manor; El Dorado West, Tarrytown; Frank’s Place – A Grill & Bar, Mamaroneck; The Heights, Yorktown Heights; Iron Horse Grill, Pleasantville; Maison Lafitte, Briarcliff Manor; Peter Pratt’s Inn, Yorktown Heights, Sam’s of Gedney Way, White Plains; Sunset House, Peekskill; Susan's Restaurant, Peekskill; umami café, Croton-on-Hudson; and, in Putnam County, Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill, Cold Spring; Cold Spring Depot, Cold Spring; Jaipore Royal Indian Cuisine, Brewster; and Jalapeno, Putnam Valley.

Participating restaurants in Rockland include: Grandma’s Country Kitchen, Garnerville and Marcello’s, Suffern.

Restaurants participating in the Mid-Hudson Valley region include, in Dutchess: Daily Planet, Lagrangeville; Gentleman Jim’s Restaurant, Poughkeepsie; Old Drover’s Inn, Dover Plains; umami café, Fishkill; in Orange: Don Bo Thai & Sushi Restaurant, New Windsor; in Sullivan; The Old Grist Mill Restaurant, Burlingham; and in Ulster: Harvest Café, New Paltz; The Rosendale Cement Company, Rosendale; and The Would, Highland.

For more information and an updated list of restaurants participating in “Dining Out for Life,” check the Website at www.diningoutforlife.com or the ARCS website www.arcs.org.