In the past, I have blogged about the “Chili-Cook-off” in Bourbon, Missouri. I even put the event in my book, “The Wolf’s Moon,” but placed in the town of Maple Hills.
Part of the cook-off is a raffle, which I donate a copy of “The Wolf’s Moon” and this year I also donated a copy of “The River.”
Next year, I hope to donate another novel as well. (It’s well on its way to the finish line).
This year many more people donated items for the raffle. All the proceeds go to the local school district.
It was a wonderfully sunny , warm October Saturday for such a get-together, all sponsored by the Town & Country Bank.
Ken Roberts spends half of an hour singing as Elvis Presley.
Crawford Country Electric allows a “bucket” truck to give rides with Mark operating the controls.
Then there is a silent auction and that wonderful standard: The Cake Walk!
Pat Thompson, the Superintendent of the School District, can be seen walking about greeting parents and students.
Carol Hoffstetter, the Vice President of Town & Country Bank, is the M.C. Carol is also a member of the school board as is Mark.
The reason that I even mention this is last week in the postal mail I received a Certificate of Appreciation for my donations.
My wife, Sandy, quickly found an empty picture frame and set the certificate inside. It was a wonderful gesture of my wife to frame it as well as from the staff at Town & Country Bank who sent it.
I know by now, most of who started reading this have long moved on before finishing. I should say that it doesn’t matter but it does.
This is my Certificate of Appreciation to all the participants who work so hard and invest their time for the children of Crawford County R-I school district.
Thank you all and may the Good Lord remember each of you.
What a lovely event. Thanks for sharing!
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It makes you look at the world differently when you sit back and watch the peace…young, old, poor, rich, whatever…get along for a common goal and just to enjoy the day to support the community! Take care, Olga…maybe the answer to world peace is Chili Cook-offs?
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Nice job Patrick. Thanks for letting us all share.
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Thanks John…it is refreshing to see everyone work so hard for the community! That is what the world needs…more Chili Cook-Offs…then there will be peace 🙂
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With beer. -)
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But of course!!…Chili dogs…nachos…bratwurst… 🙂
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Reblogged this on theowlladyblog.
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Thank you so much for reblogging, Viv! Next year we are going to take a picture of each booth making chili AND the cake walk 🙂
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Congratulations Patrick, it’s a wonderful gesture. Love the framing your wife did.
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Thank you so much, Mary! Hopefully we captured the magic of the day at the Chili Cook-off! They have like 15 booths with contests on who wins the best chili. Usually, by the time we get to the 10th booth…we can’t eat any more Chili!! They really have created a tradition and provide the school supplies for the kids with the proceeds. Thanks! 🙂 Next year I will have her take pictures at each booth…with the people…that would be fun! It’s the people that make the day both old and young…AND the cake walk of course!!
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Love contests like this – a wonderful community feel. What’s better than warm chili too!
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True…but 16 cups of it b l o a t s us all the way home 🙂 They all work so hard making the big pots of Chili be the winner!! Each one has it’s own SECRET recipe too 🙂 It is fun watching the people young and old and all helping each other. Wonderful feeling!
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CONGRATULATIONS Pat, well done Sandy – Great video of a fun event – Elvis is amazing 👍😃🐵
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Thanks so much Chris!! We just thought we had thought about bringing the camera and doing a clip of his sound…duh…maybe next year we will remember! He also does Johnny Cash and Waylan Jennings and gospel music…he sounds just like Elvis too! It is such a fun event because watching the people both young and old come out to share the day is heart-warming. We never make it to the end of the Chili Booths…I think there were about 16 or so this year and we only made it to 10…amazing day all to benefit school supplies for the kids! And the cake walk…there is always a cake walk…we will have to take pictures of that next year too along with each Chili Booth. They all work so hard to make it happen! 🙂
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Sounds fun 😃
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It is fun…it is fun to watch everyone work so hard for such a good purpose…and the young kids help the old kids 🙂 and everyone just plain gets along and supports each other in the community. It is refreshing for sure!! Maybe next year you could hop over the pond and go with us!! 🙂
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Too big a hop – besides – I don’t think your Stateside Authorities would know what to do with an old literate ape (apart from elect him PRESIDENT LOLOL) 😄😄😄
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OH PLEASE….MAKE IT HAPPEN!! We need someone with a brain!!!!!! You would be perfect!! I vote for The Story Reading Ape!!!!
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LOLOL You just want the Democrats and Republicans to see eye to eye – as they would while I knocked their heads together 👍😄😄😄
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YEP!! And we have another year of campaigning…think of all the money they spend that could go to a good cause like food for the poor…homes for the homeless…nonsense it is. Hey…maybe it could go to Climate Change so that we could end Terrorism around the world???? …Yes…you could certainly win…
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Only two snags – ONE I’m not American but more importantly, I’m not photogenic LOLOL 😱🙀👀😜😈
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Darn…heck…you could just walk across the border and no one would know…besides…who else has an Ape for a President??? Maybe the government would finally run correctly!!
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Wellll – I AM from a minority group (of ONE) 😄😄😄
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Hahahahaha…see…then it is OK!! Your campaign slogan…YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED… 🙂 🙂 🙂
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