The Humane Society of Dillon County held its inaugural Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, November 22, 2014, during the City of Dillon’s Holiday Goodness Bazaar. Fourteen chili cookers competed outside on the grounds of the Dillon Wellness Center.
They were vying for two awards: the People’s Choice Trophy, and the Judges’ Trophy. Each trophy carried a cash award of $150.00. The teams who competed in the Chili Cook-Off were as follows: Carl’s IGA-David Johnson; Dillon County Animal Shelter-Douglas Pernell; Dillon County Sheriff’s Department; Kathleen McDaniel; Pawsitively Purrfect-Kathleen McDaniel, Emily Stonerock, Jennifer Bozard, Donna Buzhardt, Becky Howell, and Lucy McLaurin Owens; First Baptist Church-Michael Sapp; Jonathan and Jessica Renwick; Charcoal Grill-Allen Grant; Missy’s One-Stop-Quentin Horne; Dillon City Police Department; Kintyre House-Brooks Harrelson; B & C Steakhouse-Bubba Strickland; El Solo-Leslie Hines; and Open Door Community Church as the Open Door Chili Cookers team.
Three judges conducted a blind judging off-site. Samples of each cooker’s chili were taken to the judges labeled only with letters. The judges, Dan Shine, David Mobley, and Vicki Simerly used a standard Chili Cook-Off grading sheet to choose the best chili of the day. They selected the team of Pawsitively Purrfect consisting of McDaniel, Stonerock, Bozard, Owens, Howell, and Buzhardt as the winners of the Judges’ Trophy and $150.00.
For $5.00, visitors to the Chili Cook-Off received the opportunity to sample as much chili as they wished and also the opportunity to vote for what they thought was the most delicious pot of chili. The winner of the People’s Choice Award was Carl’s IGA with David Johnson cooking. The most touching part of the day was when both winning teams donated their cash awards back to the Humane Society of Dillon County. The Humane Society’s sole purpose for holding this competition was to finance a low-cost spay/neuter program for Dillon County. Because of the success of this project, they are well on their way to doing this.
