Culinary Arts students to the rescue!

By MARCIA LANE

INTERLACHEN – Two Interlachen High School culinary arts students put their skills to service recently – not just in the kitchen but by helping save a man’s life.

Freshman Destiny Biller and sophomore Sebastian Belardino, a member of JROTC at the school, are part of the culinary class run by Chef Andrew Tyson. Among outside activities class members help cater a weekly lunch at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Interlachen. Thirty to 60 people regularly come to the church for the luncheon that’s open to the public.

Recently the two were catering when one of the men eating started chocking. Biller and Belardino leapt into action, as Putnam County School Board member Kathy Jorgensen told the audience at the April 4 board meeting. They worked together to perform the Heimlich maneuver on the man, and he started breather again.

The two were honored at the board meeting with certificates for their quick actions. And they earned a round of applause. Plus one man’s gratitude.