Thomas Robinson, financial services representative at TD Bank, 835 Main St., Westbrook, presents a check last week for $1,559.69 to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland in Westbrook. Zoe Alexis Scott, league’s director of development, receives the donation. The funds were generated in a bank partnership promotion, Affinity Membership Program, in which bank customers opening accounts earn incentives and the bank makes contributions to charities named by customers.

Grill master Lopes
is regional champ

Westbrook resident Marcelo Lopes, a grill master at LongHorn Steakhouse, 300 Maine Mall Road, South Portland, was recently named regional champion of the steakhouse’s Steak Master Series, a culinary competition where the restaurant’s top-performing grill experts vie for the coveted title of Steak Master.

He is one of just 59 team members from LongHorn Steakhouse to achieve the distinction.

 “This recognition is a well-deserved testament to Marcelo’s grilling expertise,” said Paul Livrieri, executive vice president of operations at LongHorn Steakhouse. “All of us at LongHorn share his passion for serving outstanding food and perfectly grilled steaks.”

Lopes, who has worked at LongHorn for more than 10 years, says his favorite part about the job is the people he works with. He is proud to represent his restaurant as a regional champion for the competition.

This year’s competition began on the restaurant level, with nearly 5,000 members of the culinary team invited to participate in written tests and grill-offs. All 490 LongHorn locations selected a representative for the regional round. The top seven contestants will compete in the finals at LongHorn’s headquarters in Orlando this month.