November 2, 2007

Charities win big as Kiwanis Clubs turns up the heat at annual chili cookoff

Funds raised support community groups

By Carol Rosen
Editor

It was a hot time at the Camden Community Center on Saturday, Oct. 27 when chili cooks gathered to show off their culinary skills. Kiwanis Clubs from Cambrian Park, Willow Glen and South San Jose celebrated their second annual chili cookoff and barbecue.

Ted Allen of the West Metro Kiwanis Club, far left, doesn’t seem to find any heat in the chili at all, while Ed Chirco, far right, from the Cambrian Club, finds his throat on fire. Middle are the cooks, from the near left, Paul Dini, Steve Windish and Bob St. Amour from the San Jose Police Department, Duon Zeroun and Vi Charlotte Juarez.

Attendees gained full stomachs, but it’s the charities the three clubs support that will gain the most. Proceeds from the joint venture will support service club projects, scholarships to deserving students and holiday parties and gifts for those less fortunate.

While there was no actual total at press time, sponsors expect to do at least as well as last year, netting more than $9,000. Most of the food was donated, as were all of the raffle prizes and the gifts for the silent auction. Corporate sponsors were SummerHill Homes with a $1,000 donation; Marta Arango, residential realtor and the San Jose Police Association, with $500 donations each; and R.G. Matusich Realtors, Inc., C.B. Hannagans, Plaza Del Roble, Young’s Printing and Island Inkjet for $250 each.

The prizes for the raffle and silent auction were either purchased by Kiwanis members or donated by stores and businesses in the area. All three clubs support the John Farley Annual Turkey and Holiday Food Drive, Kiwanis Special Games and provide turnaround and academic scholarships. The Cambrian club also supports Key Clubs at Branham and Leigh High Schools, a summer music camp, music therapy at Dela Maggirorie and Christmas parties for those with special needs.

The Willow Glen Club provides Music in the Glen, Willow Glen and Broadway High School Key Clubs, Santa’s House, the Pumpkin Patch at Willow Glen Elementary and Dancin’ on the Avenue. The South San Jose Club supports City Team Ministries, the Oak Grove Key club, Boy and Girl Scouts, the YMCA and Hi Sierra Health Lodge.

The smells of chili may have enticed people through the door, but there was also a barbecue tri-tip dinner. The more than 50 raffle prizes included everything from alarms to dinner certificates to automobile service. Silent auction gifts included wine, weekends and even a helicopter ride for two.

Sue Flanigan Cordingly graciously accepts her $50 prize for taking the judge’s third-place award from Bill Arlt . Both represent the Cambrian Park Kiwanis Club.

The chili contest was judged by a panel of judges as well as those attending the dinner. The winners received first-, second- and third-place awards in both categories. The diners’ award winners received trophies. Their top choice went to Bob St. Amour and his teammates from the San Jose Police Department. They made a dish called Bob’s Chile. The second-place diner’s award was given to Vi Charlotte Juarez’s Let’s Party Outlaw Chili. Duon Zeroun, won third place with her Crunchy Vegetable Chili. Zeroun last year took the third-place diner’s award as well as second-place judges award.

The judges awarded first place and $150 to Vi Charlotte Juarez for her Outlaw Chili, with second place and $75 to C.B. Hannigans for their chili and third place and $50 to Sue Flannigan Cordingly for her Zinfull Chili.

This year’s event also featured a number of classic cars in the parking lot, which drew many outside to ooh and aah over the vintage automobiles.

In other Kiwanis news, the Cambrian Park Club will open its Christmas tree lot the weekend after Thanksgiving at the western end of the Leigh High School parking lot. The lot will be open seven days a week from 1 to 8 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends until the trees and fresh wreaths are sold.