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WEST CHESTER — After 21 annual Chili Cook-Offs, the Rotary Club of West Chester, the event’s main sponsor, will no longer produce the wildly successful event.
The Rotary determined that it has outgrown the club’s capacity to manage the event that typically attracts between 8,000 and 10,000 chili-lovers, during October, and closes off downtown West Chester streets.
About $60,000 in annual revenues split approximately evenly between the club and charities were cut in half last year when event planning committee Seamless Events took about half the income to help run the cook-off.
Communications Committee member Cathy Palmquist said that the Rotary is not “hanging up our apron strings entirely.” The Rotary is actively searching for an organization to take over. The Rotary will help train and share resources, while offering years of experience, supply hundreds of contacts and a warehouse full of supplies.
Borough Council President Patrick McCoy has attended most every Cook-Off over more than the past two decades.
“I hope we can work with someone to make sure it happens,” McCoy said. “It’s great event.”
Jeff Cantwell is a board member and on the Rotary Communications Sub-Committee.
Cantwell said that seven to nine organizations had expressed an interest and one or two are “good possibilities” to take over.
Cantwell works with 120 volunteers who serve on the day of the event.
So why now?
“We just had increasing difficulty in managing it with a group of volunteers,” he said. “The man hours will not commensurate with the funds earned.”
A Rotary Facebook post attracted many comments.
“As we did with Brian’s Run, we need to pass this event to the right group, team or organization who can take over producing the West Chester Chili Cook-Off and let it continue to grow,” reads the Rotary Facebook post.
Palmquist said that like the Emmy’s and Oscar’s, planning is year-round and begins on the day following an event.
Parks and Recreation Director Keith Kurowski said that organizing an event of the Cook-Offs size takes a lot of work.
“It doesn’t just happen for one day, it’s a year-round event,” he said.
Volunteers prepare up to 1,500 gallons of chili annually. Members of organizations, clubs, businesses, restaurants, non-profit agencies, and hometown cooks all serve chili. In addition to the chili tasting and judging, a Kids Zone and community fellowship are big parts of the event.
“Through the years, the Rotary Club has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to benefit dozens of area non-profits,” reads the post. “Some agencies work to prevent homelessness and help families find stable housing, some help with budgeting, parenting and employment assistance.
“Others provide donated furniture to those coming out of shelters, some provide funds for children to attend camps, and others provide counseling and protection from abuse.
“Putting books in laundromats for children to read and take home, and support of programs for senior citizens are provided by other agencies.”
Rotary members believe in “Service Above Self.”
One post on the Facebook site reads that the Rotary deserves a standing ovation.
“We grew a ‘wonderful monster’ of an event that became too big for a group of ‘working volunteers,’” according to another post. And another poster called the event one of the high points of his social calendar.
Another fan wrote, “Ugh, what a bummer. I plan my October around this every year.”
According to the post made by the Rotary, organizations/individuals interested in learning about the event, taking over/providing a lead role in the Chili Cook-Off with involvement, support and help from Rotarians, are encouraged to contact the Rotary Club of West Chester. For more information, please contact Jeff Cantwell at cantwell3d@gmail.com.
“As the Rotary Club looks forward to engaging in new projects in the future, yet to be decided upon, the club offers profound appreciation and thanks to the many sponsors, teams, vendors, and numerous other borough and community committees and volunteers who have stepped up to make this event so successful and benefited the community for so many years,” reads the post at the Facebook site.
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