The 5th
Annual Wilmington Lodge Chili Cook-Off was held on Saturday, January 25. Nine cooks vied for the top honors.
Two chili recipes
tied for first place. Ron Beyers and
Troy Butler received the same number of votes from the chili aficionados. Each was awarded an engraved soup (chili)
ladle and a first place ribbon. Second
place was won by Keith Koca. Third place
went to Steve Medina.
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WM Jeff Cromer presents a
ribbon and an engraved ladle to the first place winners (Brother Troy
Butler, left, and Ron Beyers, right) in the 2014 Chili-Cookoff after the
voters had selected their chili presentations as best in the house.
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In addition to the cooks earning
honors, the other competitors included Jim Lestina, George Roesel, Dave Stover,
Darla and Bob Neises, and John Persic.
It was fun to taste the different
entries. In my notes I find that one of
the entries was made with venison, one had a strong taste of molasses (at least
to me), another used a spice that reminded me of pumpkin pie, and another one
was heavy with a green pepper flavor. Last
year’s winning entry—a white chicken chili—also appeared again this year. Different degrees of spiciness were also very
apparent.
Everyone likes what he likes—especially
when it comes to chili. Both my wife and
I voted for the entry that was closest to what we usually serve at home—a
slightly spicy chili flavored with regular chili powder. Each of the chili presentations had its own
personality.
All the women who attended were
entered in a drawing. Dorothy Locke was
the lucky winner of the special door-prize basket.
The Cook-Off was chaired again this
year by Brethren Tom Milianti and Tony Collachia. Helped by the officers, brethren, and family
members, Tom and Tony did a great job. Money
earned from the event will be donated to the Wilmington Police Department.
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WB George Roesel poses behind
his almost empty pot of chili. |
| Second place winner Brother Keith
Koca and his children are shown receiving their award from WM Jeff Cromer. |
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Brother Jim Lestina poses
with his chili entry.
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Brother Dave Stover waits for the votes to be counted.
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WB Bob and Darla Neises are
shown at the contestants’ table near the end of the Chili Cook-Off. Bob has been instrumental in making the Cook-Off
a great success. He was the chairman of
the event in its first couple of years and has participated in one way or
another ever since.
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BrethrenTony Collachia (left)
and Tom Milianti stand in the lodge kitchen during the Chili Cook-Off. Tony and Tom were co-chairmen of the event
for the second year.
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WM Jeff Cromer presents Steve
Medina with his 3rd place ribbon.
Steve served his fiancée Brianne Cromer’s white
chicken chili.
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“Mrs. Locke,” Dorothy Locke
chats with two of her former 2nd Graders at the Chili Cook-Off. Dorothy taught Dave Stover (center) and
George Roesel when they were 2nd graders (in different years, of
course) at Booth Central School in Wilmington.
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Mary, wife of WM Jeff Cromer,
shares a moment with WB Bob Neises. Our
wives are the greatest asset in the lodge.
Thank you, Mary, for all you do to help make our lodge successful.
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WM Jeff Cromer poses with his
daughter.
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