Rochelle Darman, State Director of Marketing and Communications , (754) 300-2610, rdarman@marchofdimes.com

Tallahassee, FL, November 11, 2011 —

State Senator Maria Sachs and State Representative Matt Hudson recently squared off in an Iron Chef Competition at the Tallahassee Signature Chefs Auction.

Senator Sachs represented her Italian heritage with “Maria’s Pork Loin Marinara Sauce over Pasta” while Representative Hudson chose a hearty Irish dish of “Shepherds Pie.” In a fierce but friendly competition, guests voted for the best dish by donating a $1 per vote. Proceeds from the competition benefit the March of Dimes mission for stronger, healthier babies.

Who would win? In the end, Representative Hudson’s Shepherds Pie took home the People’s Choice Award.

“It is nice to have events like this where we can put partisanship and ideology aside in order to benefit the community,” said Senator Sachs. “I have always been a supporter of March of Dimes and I look forward to doing whatever I can to ensure that we have stronger, healthier babies in Florida.” “"It is truly humbling to volunteer for the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction and represent an organization that does so much for our community and communities across the nation," said Representative Hudson. "Working in health care policy, I see firsthand the huge strides March of Dimes advocacy has made in premature births in Florida. It was my honor to fundraise for this organization and lend my support to the dedicated staff and tireless volunteers for public health in our area."