Charity chili cook-off raises $4,000 for Kiwanis Christmas fund
Published 9:41 am Friday, November 3, 2017
- Wilderness Trail Distillery’s Charity Chili Cook-Off to benefit Danville Kiwanis Christmas for Kids and Seniors drew 12 competing teams. A team of judges named first, second and third place and the public voted on People’s Choice. Winners, from left, are: Brad Simmons of Blame the Dog, second; Jerry Broderick of the Danville Country Club, third; Dr. Dennis Short of Bluegrass Chiro Chiliheads with the People’s Choice Award, his son, Alex, and Heather Palmer, and to the right of the Kiwanis sign, first place winners Chili Bros Inc. members Shawn Warren, Tyler Ediger and Truemon Jude.
WILDERNESS TRAIL DISTILLERY
News release
Some liked it spicy and some liked it green but Wilderness Trail Distillery’s Charity Chili Cook-Off turned the spicy into green for one local civic club. This first-time fundraiser netted $4,000 for Danville Kiwanis Christmas for Children and Seniors.
Proceeds from sponsorships and ticket sales will allow Danville Kiwanis to buy Christmas gifts for the young and elderly. Even the winners of the chili cooking competition pitched in by donating back $250 in prize money at the Oct. 21 event at the Lebanon Road distillery. The vendors of clothing and crafts also made donations.
The day was filled with chili tasting, shopping with vendors and listening to music from Magnolia Vale, comprised of sisters Katelyn and Samantha Daugherty. WBPK-FM DJ Tim Estes kicked off the day with a live remote. The event was family friendly with the Boyle County High School Key Club painting faces and Niki Kinkade, director of the Danville Community Arts Center, overseeing the pumpkin decorating station.
Kathy McBee, Kiwanis member and former president, says she heard so many positive comments.
“One word that I heard over and over was picturesque. The setting at the distillery was just perfect for the event.”
Kiwanis will use the funds raised to shop for new clothing, coats, shoes and small toys for children for the holidays. For the last 20 years, they have included gifts for senior citizens. The children and elderly the Kiwanis support are not served by any other group.
The club allocates $100 per child. That $100 buys every child a new coat, a new pair of shoes and at least two outfits. “You’d be amazed at how creative and how frugal our folks are,” says McBee.
The children will receive their gifts at a party Dec. 14 and McBee says it’s fun to watch them receive their surprises.
“We’ve actually had children go crazy over a hat or gloves because they’ve never had that,” McBee says.
In addition to the more useful items, each Kiwanis member uses their own funds to stuff a stocking for the children. “The least of our effort is the toys because we think it’s more important for them to have a coat,” says McBee.
The seniors will receive gifts Dec. 21 and the funds raised mean the number of seniors receiving gifts will increase to 15.
The chili cook-off event drew 12 teams, with a couple of the teams making both a red and green chili. After judging by WLEX news anchor Nancy Cox, veteran WKYT sportscaster Rob Bromley, longtime sports writer Larry Vaught and Kentucky Taste Buds Leigh Roach and Tamara Schneider, winners were named. Dr. Dennis Short, a Danville chiropractor, challenged people in his office to the competition and other doctors in his office were declared the winners. They named their team Chili Bros, Inc.
Dr. Shawn Warren, a member of the Chili Bros, attributes the win to a few tricks.
“Our smoked pork came out great. We used apple wood chips to add a lot of flavor. That mixed with a little lime gave it great smoky, tangy flavor. Tyler and Truemon have a great palate for spices so that helped a ton,” says Warren, whose teammates were doctors Tyler Ediger and Truemon Jude.
A great camaraderie among the Chili Bros also was a contributing factor.
“And my teammates are making me promise I tell you that the secret ingredients are brotherhood and everlasting love. Ha!”
Brad Simmons and his son Landon stir a chili pot while Alex Short, with chili pepper dew rag, looks on. Simmons, known for his Lucky Dog BBQ, received second place in the competition. His sons, Landon and Hunter, also entered a team.
Not to be outdone, Dr. Short’s Bluegrass Chiro Chiliheads team received the People’s Choice Award. Brad Simmons, known to many for his Lucky Dog BBQ, received second place from the judges with his Blame the Dog team. The judges selected chili prepared by Danville Country Club Chef Jerry Broderick for third place.
Even as the Kiwanis gather their shopping lists, plans are in the works for a 2018 chili cook-off event.
Katelyn and Samantha Daugherty of Magnolia Vale perform at Wilderness Trail Distillery’s Charity Chili Cook-Off. The sisters, who are from Lebanon and attend Eastern Kentucky University.
