AADE Cook Off gives back to the community

The American Association of Drilling Engineers Alaska chapter has celebrated another successful Fin, Feather, Fur, Food Festival. The annual event was held May 15 at Kincaid Park in Anchorage and was supported through corporate sponsorships, cooking team entry fees and ticket sales.

Last year more than 20 teams participated in the cook-off and 1,000 tickets were sold.

This year, out of the 22 participating teams, BP Alaska Halibrewskies took first place for the best dish, beer battered halibut, shrimp and scallops; the Unique Machine team Wild Hogs took second place; and the Schlumberger team Schlumberger TailGators took third.

Unique Machine won for best desert, bananas napoleon.

This year’s festival was organized by Alaska AADE chapter Chairman Jim Patton from Weatherford and nearly 20 volunteers. The event has raised nearly $100,000 in the last six years.

Funds from the event are divided to help support local charities, such as the Kid’s Kitchen, Downtown Soup Kitchen and Bean’s Café; and AADE engineering educational initiatives such as the Knowledge Box and AADE’s scholarship fund.

Educational initiatives are intended to educate students on the benefits of the oil industry to society and on career opportunities within the industry.

“It’s all the people in the industry trying to give back,” said Patton, “and they do a good job of it.”

The AADE, a nonprofit volunteer organization, was founded in New Orleans in 1978 and comprises an affiliation of nine independent chapters, including Alaska, with more than 5,000 members and governed by an AADE National Board.

The knowledge box is a traveling exhibit showcasing the many aspects of the oil and gas industry, including teacher resources, hands-on activities and interactive lessons correlated to state and National Science Standards.

—Marti Reeve