7th Annual Chili/Soup Cook Off enjoys warmth all around

The Rotary Club of Fort Morgan’s 7th Annual Chili/Soup Cook Off enjoyed warm temperatures, warm bowls, and warm hearts from all of the community support this past Saturday.
 
 
An appreciative crowd of official taste testers donated $5 each to be able to sample the varieties of chili and soup available. Christine Yung’s cocoa-infused chili was the official judged winner and the people’s choice winners were Cody Millar and Neil White for best chili and Robin Northrup for best soup. The public also enjoyed John and Jaton Edge's Chili Verde with pork.
 
Money raised from area business sponsors and taste tester donations will be used to provide scholarships for Fort Morgan youth to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (rmryla.org), a life-changing leadership training program for middle and high school youth where leadership skills and principles are learned, developed, and enhanced. Many past RYLArians have said, "It was the best week of my life!" Fort Morgan Middle School 7th graders and High School Sophomores and Juniors are encouraged to apply in the spring to attend when it is announced in their schools. The middle schoolers will attend Young RYLA in Larkspur at the Pondorosa Retreat & Conference Center. Senior RYLA is held at YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park.
 
The Fort Morgan Rotary Club would like to thank our sponsors for their generosity and especially the City of Fort Morgan for not only sponsoring this event but also providing power pedestals for the contestants to plug their cookers and warmers into so that we might all enjoy several warm cups of chili and soup on a cool day! We would also like to thank our local 'celebrity VIP' judges John Beltran from B106, and Allison Howe and Lisa Northrup, City of Fort Morgan Council Members. 
 
Sponsors this year for the Cook Off included:
 
Executive Chef Sponsor
City of Fort Morgan            
 
Sous Chef Sponsor
Insurance Connection           
Viaero Wireless
Western Sugar Cooperative
 
Station Chef Sponsor
Brush State Bank
Morgan Community College    
Colorado Plains Medical Center
Cover 4 Theaters
East Morgan County Hospital
The Mav Restaurant
 
Judges John Beltran, Lisa Northrup, and Allison Howe enjoy some outstanding corn bread.
 
Judged winner Christine Yung explains the finer points of chili to a young taste tester
 
Sisters Chelsea and Bethany Crandall volunteered to serve two pots of chili made by Rotary members.
 
Cook Off contestants wait for the start of the event.