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Annual Chili Cook-off planned for October

Contributed by: Ray Isenburg on 8/15/2007

The Fort Pierce Exchange Club Annual Chili Cook-Off Historical Perspective and Preview of the 2007 Event

Prepared by Ray Isenburg

Initiated in July, 1982, the Annual Chili Cook-Off has developed into a summer highlight for residents of the Treasure Coast. The event was actually conceived by a group of patrons who frequented the "Rodeo," at the Holiday Inn, on Okeechobee Road, at the Fort Pierce Turnpike Exit. The manager of the Holiday Inn in 1982, Will Jansen, just happened to be a member of the Fort Pierce Exchange Club and thought the Cook-Off would be an excellent method to raise funds for the civic organization. In reality, any type of fund raiser would have been appreciated since the Fort Pierce club had established a rather dismal track record for generating revenue to fund a variety of worthwhile projects. The proposal to organize the Cook-Off coincided with a National Exchange Club initiative directed toward the prevention of child abuse (the project was referred to as SCAN representing Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect,) and the local Exchange members quickly decided to earmark the funds raised to support the national project and help establish a Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse for the local community.

The first Chili Cook-Off was conducted in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn, and 33 teams participated. The team comprised of members of the Crystal Restaurant and Town and County Hair Salon won top honors in the preparation of chili. Today, the award for best chili is named in honor of Jim Lamb, the wining chef at the inaugural event. In year three of the event, Jim Lamb shared his winning chili recipe with a fellow competitor, Charles Bengyak, owner of The Silver and Gold Exchange. Needless to say, Jim was quite shocked and somewhat dismayed when the Silver and Gold Exchange was awarded first place for best chili.

Fund raising efforts have become extremely competitive over the history of the Cook-Off. In year one, the Bell South Pioneers battled for top honors with a group known as the B.B.C or Bearded B------- Club. Several members of the B.B.C. team assisted in the origination of the Cook-Off and frequented the Holiday Inn on a regular basis. Many participants in the early Cook-Offs will remember Ray Alford, a devoted supporter of the event, leader of the B.B.C. and a man committed to the prevention of child abuse.

The Cook-Off was conducted for its first few years of existence at the Holiday Inn. When the event outgrew the parking lot, the festivities were moved to the St. Lucie County Civic Center in the mid 1980s. The Cook-Off also grew to a two-day event beginning with a Friday evening celebration followed by the actual Cook-Off on Saturday. The fact that the Cook-Off was conducted in July occurred simply because of tradition. The first event was held in July, and no one wanted to tamper with the success that the Cook-Off had experienced. However, in 2004, the Civic Center was devastated from Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne resulting in the move to the current location at the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds. The date of the Cook-Off was also changed to October in an attempt to minimize the impact of inclement weather at an outdoor facility.

During the past 25 years, there have been a number of memorable moments, a variety of Cook-Off themes, hundreds of teams, and thousands of participants involved. Themes for the Cook-Offs have been quite diverse and included Mexican Fiesta, Beach Party, Mardi gras, Famous Cartoon Characters, and Tribute to Elvis. Southern Eagle Distributing, Harbor Federal Savings Bank (now National City Bank and Trust), and The Tribune are three teams that have been actively involved in the Cook-Off since inception. Riverside National Bank has been participating for more than twenty years. During the last decade, a number of St. Lucie County governmental agencies have become very competitive at the Cook-Off. In 2006, combined revenue generated by the St. Lucie County Employees of the Board of County Commissioners, Property Appraiser, Clerk of the Court, Tax Collector, and Firefighters and Paramedics and Sheriff's Department totaled nearly $78,000. The Employees of the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners earned top fundraising honors by contributing a record total of $37,022. Certain teams have concentrated their efforts on fundraising such as Norris's Famous Place for Ribs and QVC while other teams focus on showmanship coupled with fundraising. The showmanship category has been quite competitive and encompasses four distinct elements: Parade Entrance, Costuming, Booth, and Stage Performance. Dr. Bob (Gehrig) and Associates have become well-known for their elaborate costuming, booth construction, and contributions to the Cook-Offs. Indian River Community College was the 2006 recipient of the Showmanship Award and proved to be a crowd favorite with their entertaining stage performance.

This year's theme is Leisure Time U.S.A., and the Cook-Off will be challenged to surpass the 2006 fundraising total of $218,000. Teams may select any type of leisure activity which should result in another spectacular display of creativity and originality by the teams entered and competing. The Cook-Off is scheduled for Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13, at the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds.

Friday evening will feature the band, Burnt Biscuit, along with a gourmet dinner prepared by the Indian River Community College Culinary Arts Department. Contestants will also compete for the coveted awards associated with "Miss Chili Pepper" and "Mr. Hot Sauce."

Several new elements have been added to Saturday's festivities including a boat show, a "Poker Run," and an opportunity to sample award winning chili recipes from prior Cook-Offs. The Cook-Off will be introducing the first "So You Think You Can Dance" contest with the popular band, SKEEZIX, providing the music for the evening. The traditional "Little Miss Chili Pepper" and "Mr. Pee Wee Pepper" contests for children will be conducted on Saturday afternoon along with a variety of stage performances by Chili teams competing for the Showmanship Award. Norris's Famous Place for Ribs will serve their specially prepared dinner for the Awards Banquet on Saturday evening.

Registration is currently underway for the 26th Annual Chili Cook-Off. The membership of the Fort Pierce Exchange Club encourages all those interested in participating in the event to call the Chili Cook-Off "hotline" at (772) 971-2653 to reserve a booth and get involved in a most worthwhile fundraiser.

After 20 years of organizing the Annual Chili Cook-Off, the cumulative revenues generated topped the $1,000,000 mark directed toward the prevention of child abuse. An Exchange Club goal involved reaching the $2,000,000 level by the year 2010. However, the goal of surpassing $2,000,000 in cumulative revenue will be met this year at the 2007 Cook-off! Fund raising is a key element in the Cook-Off, and the competition becomes quite intense. Having been a charter member of the Fort Pierce Exchange Club since 1971 and participating in every Cook-Off since 1982, I have a unique perspective regarding the club and the event. It has been gratifying to become involved in a civic activity that has directed all proceeds of the Cook-Off to support the prevention of child abuse. An activity that essentially began as a "whim" has become a tradition for residents of St. Lucie County and the Treasure Coast. During the past 25 years, the event has served as a major supporter of the Exchange Club CASTLE (Child Abuse Services, Training, and Life Enrichment.) All of the Exchange Club members are appreciative of the generosity of the local community and the effort put forth by the Cook-Off competitors. The Cook-Off may be viewed as a fun event, and we sincerely hope that everyone who participates has a wonderful experience. However the real benefits associated with the Cook-Off focus on the revenue generated and directed to address the many complex issues associated with child abuse while enriching the lives of deserving families needing assistance.


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