Kiwanians to dish chili Friday during annual feast
Published 10:00 am Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Last year Vicksburg Kiwanians dished out 1,700 servings of chili and raised $10,000 for its scholarship fund during its annual “Chili Feast”.
This year the club plans to cook 120 gallons of chili and deliver nearly 1,000 meals.
Cooking for the clubs largest fundraiser began Tuesday, when Kiwanians cooked hundreds of pounds of meat, 40 pounds of onions and 20 pounds of bell peppers. “We’ll make 120 gallons of chili Friday,” Kiwanian Tom Osburn said.
Osburn said the annual event is held to raise money for scholarships the club presents to members of local Key Clubs, the high school version of Kiwanis. The club sponsors Key Clubs at Vicksburg High School and Porters Chapel.
“Scholarships are what it’s all about,” Osburn said
Preparations began weeks ago and with 20 years experience the operation runs smoothly amid the controlled chaos. “Preparation is key,” Osburn said. “Many members have participated in the feast for years and have learned to prepare for anything and everything.”
Key Club members will have assigned tasks and given a nametag with their duties. “Key Clubbers work better if they know what they’re doing,” he said. “With nametags they stay together, otherwise they wander all over the place.”
Members assisted by Key Club members will begin preparing meals at 6:30 a.m. Friday at the YMCA on East Clay Street. By 10 a.m. 1,000 bowls will be filled and ready for delivery.
The chili feast began in 1994 at Hawkins United Methodist Church. It later moved to First Baptist Church, and then the YMCA.
“We’re big fans of the YMCA. They have a great facility, and it’s been wonderful for us to be able to use it,” Osburn said
Tickets are $8 a meal which consists of the bowl of chili, cheese, hot sauce, crackers, corn chips and a Little Debbie’s snack cake. Tea is available for those who dine in at the YMCA. Deliveries with 10 or more meals will be made.
Tickets can be purchased from any Vicksburg Kiwanian or by contacting Chili Feast chairman Dan Ratliff at danieltratliff@gmail.com or Charlie McKinnie at 601-218-1754.