In honor of Veterans Day, members of the Petal Jaycees are gearing up for an upcoming chili cook-off to benefit veterans throughout the area and recognize their service in the United States Armed Forces.
The inaugural Petal Jaycees Veterans Day Chili Cook-off will be held from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. November 11 in Magnolia Hall at Petal Civic Center, 712-A South Main Street in Petal. Proceeds from the event – which is overseen by Jaycees member Blake Nobles, who represents Ward 3 on the Petal Board of Aldermen – will benefit Chapter 62 of the Disabled American Veterans in Hattiesburg, along with the Petal Jaycees.
“One of our (Jaycees) members said that she wanted to do a chili cook-off, so we started working on it together, and we were looking at a time (to do it),” Nobles said. “We thought Veterans Day would be a really good idea; that way we could partner with the veterans and try to raise some money for them as well.
“We were just looking for an opportunity to kind of give back and help out the community. So we want to do this in tandem with helping people and helping out causes around the community.”
Attendees can enjoy unlimited chili tastings for a $5, cash-only entry fee on the day of the event; drinks also will be available for purchase. Children under 4 years old eat free, and a raffle will be held at the door.
For those who wish to participate in the contest, a cash-only, non-refundable $15 fee can be paid at the door. Participants are asked to bring two large Crock-Pots of chili, enough to feed 15 to 20 people.
Prizes will be given to the top three competitors. Spots for the competition are limited, so officials are encouraging participants to register as early as possible.
“We’re getting in touch with some ‘specialty’ judges, and then we hope to have a ‘community member favorite’ panel,” Nobles said. “So we’re expecting to have five (judges); that way the community can participate.”
Registration for competiors can be completed online at https://tinyurl.com/yc6525h3. The registration deadline is November 8.
Half of the proceeds of the event will go to DAV Chapter 62, while the other half will go to the Petal Jaycees.
A Facebook page for the event can be found at https://shorturl.at/npsG2.
“This is the first time we’ve done this in Petal,” Nobles said. “We’d love to turn it into a yearly event, but we’re going to gauge how this one goes to make sure it goes well.
“If so, we’ll bring it back next year. We’ve had a few people enter in, and we’d love some more; it’s open to everybody. It’s an awesome opportunity to get out there and compete, and hopefully win some prizes for it.”
The mission of JCI USA and the Petal Jaycees is to provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change; anyone between the ages of 18 and 40 is welcome to join the chapter. For more information on joining, email petaljaycees@gmail.com or visit the JCI Petal Jaycees Facebook page.
Disabled American Veterans provides assistance to veterans and their families, including help obtaining benefits, providing outreach and represented the interests of disabled veterans. For more information about the Hattiesburg chapter, call (601) 596-5620 or email davhattiesburg62@gmail.com.
