Get your spatula in hand and prepare to don that apron: On Saturday, November 27 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Grand Marais, one group of self-proclaimed chefs is going to become known as the best grillers in Cook County.
The 130 or so who attended the chili cook-off at Bethlehem in April would probably testify to the entertainment (and gustatory) value of a little friendly competition. Ten teams comprised of friends, church members, restaurants, and youth groups came up with 10 very different varieties of chili, earning one team the distinction of being the judges’ top pick and another, the people’s choice.
That fundraiser, sponsored by the youth groups of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and the Evangelical Free Church, was the first in a series to raise money for two organizations: the Cook County Food Shelf and Feed My Starving Children, a Christian nonprofit hunger relief organization.
The chili cook-off was so successful that before it was over, plans were being made for a grilling competition. TheNovember 27 event is going to be even bigger and better than the first one, because it is followed by a flag football tournament.
From 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. outside the Eagle Doors at Cook County High School, grillers will vie for a traveling trophy by flipping foods in two categories: burger and other. For $7.00, individuals can sample each team’s offerings along with as much coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans as they can eat. Teams are encouraged to find sponsors to help pay for a $50 team entrance fee, but this can be waived for student teams without a sponsor.
From 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the varsity gym, teams of 5-10 people each will compete for trophies in four categories: first place, best cheer, most fans, and best team spirit/uniform. The entrance fee for spectators will be two cans of food per person or the cash equivalent. Business-, school-, and church-sponsored teams (all ages encouraged) can enter for $40, and each team member must bring canned goods as an individual entrance fee. Recognition will be given for the team that brings the most canned goods or cash for the Food Shelf.
Still being sought are grilling teams, football teams, sponsors, and “celebrity” referees. Celebrities or people soliciting their involvement can call Bethlehem youth pastor Jamie Ryan at (218) 370-0262 or Free Church youth director Caleb White at (218)387-1565.
“This is a community event,” said Ryan. “Just like the chili cook-off we want this to be an event that brings as many different parts of our community together as possible. Restaurants, businesses, churches, teachers, administration, families and individuals are all encouraged to enter a team or sponsor a team for the grilling or the flag football tourney. We want to encourage friendly competition and develop a sense of community while raising money for Feed My Starving Children and the local food shelf.”
Cook County youth will also be raising money for Feed My Starving Children with a bake sale and lunch during two craft sales: one on Saturday, November 27 at the Community Center and the other on Saturday, December 4 at the Evangelical Free Church in Grand Marais. The bake sales will be from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and lunches will be served from 11:30 to 1:30.
Feed My Starving Children, begun in Minnesota in 1987, has distributed meals to children in nearly 70 countries through Christian and humanitarian relief organizations working in orphanages, clinics, relief centers, and schools. Between July 15 and October 1, over eight million meals were shipped to Haiti, over three million to Nicaragua, and over a million to Zimbabwe, Liberia, and Malawi, plus hundreds of thousands of meals to a host of other countries.
” Area youth were inspired this summer by a trip to the Twin Cities during which they packaged meals for Feed My Starving Children. General Mills and Cargill were involved in designing the meals, which are formulated to be able to feed children adequately on one meal a day. Each meal costs 19 cents. The goal of the Cook County youth is to pack 100,000 meals, which will cost $19,000. So far, about $2,500 has been raised.
“We’re in this,” said Ryan. “We need to raise 19 grand. We might as well go big.”
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