Celine Couture of Sanford samples chili made and served up by Chase Harris of Harris Turkey Farm of Newfield at the Sanford Elks Lodge annual Chili & Chowder contest earlier this month. TAMMY WELLS/Journal Tribune
SANFORD – Sanford Elks Lodge #1470, welcomed 14 local food vendors Sept. 6 as they participated in the annual Chili & Chowder Contest.
More than 250 guests sampled the many recipes and determined the winner of People’s Choice Best Chowder was Varney Crossing Nursing Care Center with chef Spencer Paige and People’s Choice Best Chili was The Sanford Elks Lodge #1470, with chefs Tom Lavertue, Rob Wilkins, Shawn Hubbard and Bob Shaw.
A panel of ten judges determined that Varney Crossing Nursing Care Facility also won Judges Choice Best Chowder, and crowned Woody’s Sports Grille with Judges Choice Best Chili.
Entering chili or chowder were: Varney’s Crossing Nursing are Center, Harris Turkey Farm, Johnson’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant, Apache Campground, Richie’s Jerk & BBQ, Sanford Elks Lodge #1470, Southern Maine Health Care, Woody’s Sports Grille, Palmerosa Pines, Iron Tails Saloon, Third Alarm Diner, Wolves Social Club, Keepin’ It Local Country Store, and Marc Motors.
Friday Night’s Chili & Chowder event raised $27,366 – just a few dollars shy of last year’s record receipts.
The following day Sanford Elks MCCP Committee battled the remnants of Hurricane Dorian and got ready for the 9 a.m. shotgun start of the 26th Annual Golf Tournament at the Sanford Country Club. This year saw 164 golfers on the course. The golf tourney raised $20,800.
An evening awards banquet included a visit and testimonial from the Cochrane Family, who’s son Griffin is one of 200 children, yearly, on active treatment at the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. Griffin also served as this year’s Slugger’s Kid at the Portland Seadogs Baseball games this summer.
Along with the many awards of prizes for the golf tournament, was the drawing for this year’s “500 Wish Club Raffle,” earning $35,000 for MCCP.
Steve Horne of the Sanford Elks MCCP Committee said contributions to the Maine Children’s Cancer Program totaled $143,000 for the fiscal year, which adds up to $2.5 million over 26 years.
“Collectively, as a committee, we are very humble and very proud as well as very thankful of the enduring support from the surrounding communities both on the corporate side as well as the civilian side,” said Horne. “This $2.5 million came directly from our supporters personal and business budgets; each person or business made a conscious decision to forgo using these funds for their families and business and chose, instead, to give them to the children and families at the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. We are very proud of this and Very Thankful for all the support.”
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