ypsilanti courier
newsWednesday, February 26, 2014
YPSILANTI: Chili challenge warms SOS Community Services coffers (UPDATED)By Krystal Elliott
Heritage Media and
Leslie McGraw
For Heritage MediaMore than 200 chili tasters, bike riders, and volunteers found a way to beat the cold Sunday, Feb. 16 at the 8th Annual Chili Challenge. Participants visited Ypsilanti Depot Town restaurants to taste and vote on 12 original chilis, raising $2,900 for SOS Community Services. "Depot Town businesses make the chili and donate the chili for tasting; we promote it, people donate $10 to taste the chili, then the Proceeds go toward general funding for homeless and at risk families in Washtenaw County," said SOS development direcrtor Chelsea Brown. The SOS Communuity Center provides services for residents in Washtenaw County, working with other agencies to help and support families who are either homeless or at risk of being homeless. "Many people don't know where to go; we connect them with other local resources," said Brown, "We partner with Food Gatherers to provide a food pantry and with other agencies to help with housing challenges." Café Ollie's "Chili Bob Thornton" has been dubbed this year's champion. "Winning is fun. It's always nice to know that people enjoyed the chili," said Danielle Teachout, who owns Café Ollie with her husband Mark. Teachout said that every year, the Café's two chili batches, lovingly named "Chili Nelson" and "Chili Bob Thornton" take on different forms. "We don't have a recipe that we follow," she said. "We just cook from the heart, and just start throwing things in and whatever happens, happens." One thing that remains true to Café Ollie's chili year after year is that it's made with a beer. This year, the chili chefs went with Dark Horse's Fore Smoked Stout, which gave the chili a smokier taste than usual. "It seemed to work out really well," Teachout said. Win or lose, though, Teachout said that they have fun doing the Chili Challenge every year. "It's just a good time, and it's for a good cause," she said. Coming in second place after Café Ollie was Sidetrack with its "Sympathy for the Devil" chili and in third was Aubree's with its "Cross Street Chili con Carne." Other participating restaurants included Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery, Harvest Kitchen and the Ypsilanti Food Co-Op and Woodruff's Bar. "We have done it [the Chili Challenge] for two years. It's great support for the community and it's fun; we have a great time having people in that have never been in before," Harvest Kitchen owner Mary Wessel Walker, owner said. "I made both chilis special for the competition," said head chef and chili maker, Ryan Glowacki. Many of the chili tasters biked in Another Chili Ride to work up an appetite before coming, biking anywhere from 4-28 miles before heading over to the Chili Challenge. "It took us about two and a half hours", said Heidi Wiegand, who rode about 28 miles alongside bikers Lee Hoffman and Calvin Hughes. "We had to modify the course a bit," said Hughes, citing the icy conditions in some areas. "We signed up for the 12-mile bike ride, but took a tour of EMU instead," said Yvette Wernick and Mary Kolasa, warming up before tasting the chili at Aubree's. Volunteers found satisfaction beyond the chili tasting on Sunday. "I really like being involved in the community in general. I am motivated and appreciate the things I was able to have growing up," said Christina Pechette, "This is a way of giving back to people that might not have some of those things I grew up having. Plus, the chili competition is cool." "It is a smart fundraiser. It is for people and benefits people; I know it's going back into the community" said Ashley Austin, one of the volunteers receiving chili tasters in front of Woodruff's. "Anything where you can invest in the community and see results for is worth doing," added SOS Volunteer, Dustin Demink.
Heritage Media and
Leslie McGraw
For Heritage MediaMore than 200 chili tasters, bike riders, and volunteers found a way to beat the cold Sunday, Feb. 16 at the 8th Annual Chili Challenge. Participants visited Ypsilanti Depot Town restaurants to taste and vote on 12 original chilis, raising $2,900 for SOS Community Services. "Depot Town businesses make the chili and donate the chili for tasting; we promote it, people donate $10 to taste the chili, then the Proceeds go toward general funding for homeless and at risk families in Washtenaw County," said SOS development direcrtor Chelsea Brown. The SOS Communuity Center provides services for residents in Washtenaw County, working with other agencies to help and support families who are either homeless or at risk of being homeless. "Many people don't know where to go; we connect them with other local resources," said Brown, "We partner with Food Gatherers to provide a food pantry and with other agencies to help with housing challenges." Café Ollie's "Chili Bob Thornton" has been dubbed this year's champion. "Winning is fun. It's always nice to know that people enjoyed the chili," said Danielle Teachout, who owns Café Ollie with her husband Mark. Teachout said that every year, the Café's two chili batches, lovingly named "Chili Nelson" and "Chili Bob Thornton" take on different forms. "We don't have a recipe that we follow," she said. "We just cook from the heart, and just start throwing things in and whatever happens, happens." One thing that remains true to Café Ollie's chili year after year is that it's made with a beer. This year, the chili chefs went with Dark Horse's Fore Smoked Stout, which gave the chili a smokier taste than usual. "It seemed to work out really well," Teachout said. Win or lose, though, Teachout said that they have fun doing the Chili Challenge every year. "It's just a good time, and it's for a good cause," she said. Coming in second place after Café Ollie was Sidetrack with its "Sympathy for the Devil" chili and in third was Aubree's with its "Cross Street Chili con Carne." Other participating restaurants included Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery, Harvest Kitchen and the Ypsilanti Food Co-Op and Woodruff's Bar. "We have done it [the Chili Challenge] for two years. It's great support for the community and it's fun; we have a great time having people in that have never been in before," Harvest Kitchen owner Mary Wessel Walker, owner said. "I made both chilis special for the competition," said head chef and chili maker, Ryan Glowacki. Many of the chili tasters biked in Another Chili Ride to work up an appetite before coming, biking anywhere from 4-28 miles before heading over to the Chili Challenge. "It took us about two and a half hours", said Heidi Wiegand, who rode about 28 miles alongside bikers Lee Hoffman and Calvin Hughes. "We had to modify the course a bit," said Hughes, citing the icy conditions in some areas. "We signed up for the 12-mile bike ride, but took a tour of EMU instead," said Yvette Wernick and Mary Kolasa, warming up before tasting the chili at Aubree's. Volunteers found satisfaction beyond the chili tasting on Sunday. "I really like being involved in the community in general. I am motivated and appreciate the things I was able to have growing up," said Christina Pechette, "This is a way of giving back to people that might not have some of those things I grew up having. Plus, the chili competition is cool." "It is a smart fundraiser. It is for people and benefits people; I know it's going back into the community" said Ashley Austin, one of the volunteers receiving chili tasters in front of Woodruff's. "Anything where you can invest in the community and see results for is worth doing," added SOS Volunteer, Dustin Demink.