Chili Cookoff

The community came out in full force for the 2025 Annual Chili Cookoff. There were 14 entries; there would have been 13, but Judy thought that would be bad luck so she joined in the fun at the last minute to ward off malevolent forces. It must have worked. All the chilis were delicious, and everyone had a good time.

A big shout out to our winning chefs, Judy, Jeff, and Tim (again). But everyone who participated in any manner is a winner in my humble opinion.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of nonprofits, and we had plenty of them, including chefs, servers, ticket takers, decorators, and a cleanup crew. That’s no surprise since we’re a community of contributors. The LVA extends heartfelt gratitude to all.

Attendees left with full bellies, many of them toting out items from the Silent Auction table. Thanks to all of our many donors who contributed to making the event a success.

No, it’s not disco time quite yet (but there will be dancing at our Valentine’s Day event). That’s just Debbie getting everyone’s attention for the 50/50 drawing. Hope was the winner, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. Earlier in the day, she donated a box of her scrumptious baked goods from Salty Shenanigans to the Silent Auction. I hope the $100+ she won covered her costs.

It’s not about the money, though. Events like this are about building a strong community. That’s why the LVA spells “fundraiser” without the “d.” We hope you’ll join us at our next event, the February 14 Dance and Dessert. Bring your sweetie or your sweet self, fill up on sweet treats, and kick up your heels.