ELGIN—Feeling discouraged by the chilly weather? The Elgin Knights of Columbus Council #654 invite you to beat the chill with all the heat you can handle at Chili for Charity Feb. 24. 

 

This chili cook-off and dinner, the biggest annual fundraiser for the Knights council, will be Feb. 24, 3:30-7 p.m., at. the St. Thomas More gym, 1625 W. Highland Ave. 

 

Proceeds from the event benefit Elgin Catholic schools, soup kitchens, youth sports and area Special Olympics. 

 

The dinner will include many chilis to taste — in past years, up to 48 recipes — as well as hot dogs, sides and beverages. The evening also includes family entertainment and raffles. 

 

Chili cooks can find contest applications at https://uknight.org/CouncilSite/CouncilNews.asp?CNO=654. Cooks must provide 6-8 quarts of chili to be eligible for judging. Set-up starts at 11 a.m., and judging begins at 1 p.m. Utensils, condiments, serving trays and Sterno heaters will be provided. 

 

The entry fee for adults is $20/person; students of Catholic schools in the area  are free. The first place student prize is $50 and a trophy for the school; adult prizes range from $50 up to $400. Prizes are also awarded for overall presentation and for hot, medium and mild chili. 

 

Ad sponsorships are available; ads will be printed in an ad book distributed to the several hundred attendees. Regular ad costs run from $30 for a quarter-page (5.5” x 2”) through $100 for a full page (5.5” x 8”). Ad deadlines are Feb. 12. For forms contact Chris Gulik at 630-643-5351 or [email protected]

 

Cost for attendees is $10 at the door or $9 if purchased ahead of time. Contact Marshall Spangler at 847-606-1605 or [email protected] for tickets. If paying by check, make checks payable to “Knights of Columbus” and mail to Marshall Spangler, 487 Barrett St., Elgin, IL 60120. 

 

To further support the event, contact Spangler (above) or Gulik (left). The Knights are looking for food and monetary donations, raffle prizes, volunteers, advertising and more. Those who use the QR code provided (linking to Zelle) are encouraged to note the purpose of their payment.