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Redbone Recipe Book has grown into big project for charity
By Jim Hardie, Keys Fishing column
Three women got together in the Zane Grey Room of the World Wide Sportsman in Islamorada earlier this year over afternoon lemonades.
In the threesome were Sue Moret, an Islamorada resident, along with Mindy Rich and Jean Morris, who are part time residents. Rich spends part of the year in New York, and Morris' home is in Springfield, Mo.
Morris was telling about putting the finishing touches on a family recipe book. It occurred to them that the Redbone fishing series, might be a good way to raise money for the Redbone's charity -- finding a cure for cystic fibrosis.
At first they talked about a 200-page paperback recipe book with spiral binding. It seemed like a doable and worthwhile project.
Keep in mind, we are talking about three action-oriented individuals who are as busy as tarpon in a school of mullet. We are talking about a trio of shakers and movers who might be here today and in some far away place tomorrow.
The three decided to send out invitations for people associated with the Redbone series and the Florida Keys Fly Fishing School, run by Moret's husband Sandy.
"Everyone responded and sent us their favorite recipe," said Moret. "It was amazing. Within eight weeks, we had 500 recipes."
What started as a modest, fund-raising endeavor, was growing into a big-time publishing project.
"Everyone was so enthusiastic. Artists agreed to provide the art work, we got the design firm of Starkey & Hendricks of New York City to pitch in," said Moret.
Doug Bird and family own the New York design firm and decided to help the epic recipe book project. Big firms like this often charge $300 an hour for such a project.
Champion Paper Co. donated high quality, high gloss -- expensive -- 70 and 80 pound stock for the project. The late Benny Rupert, a Keys booster, had a hand in Champion's decision.
The Redbone Recipe Book was growing like Tolstoy's War and Peace. Leo ended up with 1,444 pages.
Fortunately, the three women didn't end up with 1,400 pages. But their recipe book jumped from 200 to 640 pages. It went from paperback to hardback.
Cost of the Redbone Recipe Book jumped from $24.95 -- to $29.95; a blue plate special when you consider that without generous pro bono support, the recipe book would have cost $60 a copy.
Morris is the wife of Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, including World Wide Sportsman, in Islamorada.
Rich is the wife of Bob Rich, whose family success story involves the food industry.
Chet Reneson, whose original marine art work can command $7,000 or more did the painting for the cover. It shows a fly fisherman being poled on the flats by a guide ... a painting which could be any flyfisherman who has ever tried for bonefish.
Other artist who contributed originals to the recipe book include Millard Wells, CD Clarke, Tim Borski, Paula Cannon, Craig and Wendy Reagor.
The book is being printed at the direction of Quebecor Printing and Book Co. of New York. There will only be 10,000 copies of the original Redbone Recipe Book. I say only because these books, in my view, will become collector's items before Jan 1, 1999.
How can you miss with favorite recipes from Andy Mills, Chris Evert, Curt Gowdy, John Havlicek, Wade Boggs, Chico Fernandez, Sandy Moret, Flip Pallot, Joan Wulff, Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf, Denis Potvin and many more celebrities?
"It is to be delivered in time for the Christmas shopping season. I would guess for weeks from now," said Moret.
Capt Gary Ellis and his wife Susan founded the Redbone 11 years ago to raise money to fight cystic fibrosis, which afflicts their daughter Nicole.
To date, the Redbone Series has raised in excess of $1 million to fight the disease.
"We hope the recipe book will raise about $200,000 for the search to find a cure for cystic fibrosis," said Moret.
The cookbook is available at the Redbone gallery, 200 Industrial Road, Islamorada, FL 33070.
I'd like to order the Redbone Recipe book now!
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