Back-to-back fundraisers for the Columbus Firemens Cheer Fund are planned in early November.
The popular Chili Cook-Off will be held Friday in the FairOaks Mall. On Saturday, the 25th annual Hoosier Pro Wrestling event at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds will include a toy drive for the Cheer Fund.
As many as a thousand patrons have been drawn to the Chili Cook-Off in a single year, which begins at 5:30 p.m on Friday. Those planning to attend are urged to arrive no later than 8 p.m., Cheer Fund co-chair Ben Noblitt said.
Since the Cheer Fund is temporarily headquartered in the former JC Penney store at FairOaks, organizers say the circumstances provide a unique opportunity for the public to tour their entire operation, organizers said.
“They can see how their monetary donations help the community,” Noblitt said. “Many who come every year to the Chili Cook-Off didn’t go inside our former headquarters, so they never got to see where their contributions go.”
In the past, awards and bragging rights have been earned to whoever made the pot of the most in-demand chili. There will be 10 pots in this year’s competition that are each made with different recipes, Noblitt said.
But instead of individual cooks, the firefighters are creating informal teams in accordance with different fire stations and work shifts, he said.
Most of the chili will be made at the different fire stations, so it only has to be heated up prior to the event. By allowing the chili to be created at the different stations, chili makers are better able to both contribute to the cook-off and carry out their duties as firefighters and EMTs, Nobitt said.
Beside the food, the event will also include raffle prizes, as well as face painting for children. Musical entertainment will be provided by acoustic guitar players Louie Green and Kevin Baird.
Noblitt and the two other Cheer Fund co-chairmen, Cory Hampton and Justin Sims, have had their hands full during this transitional year for their organization, so they delegated responsibility for the Chili Cook-Off to two fellow firefighters, Nick Tuttle and former Cheer Fund co-chair Jarrad Mullis, Noblitt said.
On Saturday, a Cheer Fund toy drive will be part of the 25th anniversary of the Hoosier Pro Wrestling event at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds. All patrons are asked to bring a new or gently-used toy to the Family Arts Building.
In past years, both organizers and wrestlers have announced generous contributions between matches. In addition, the firefighters are often made part of the wrestling event in humorous ways that heighten awareness of the Cheer Fund, Noblitt said.
Doors at the fairgrounds open at 7 p.m., and bell-time is 7:45 p.m. Admission is $13, with kids age 4 and younger admitted free.
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There will be four menu choices for patrons at the Cheer Fund’s Chili Cook-Off on Friday from 5:30 to approximately 8 p.m. at FairOaks Mall.
- $3 – Jimmy John’s sandwich
- $5 – Chili, drink and dessert
- $7 – Chili, sandwich, drink and dessert
- $10 – Endless chili, drink and dessert
While at the mall, patrons are encouraged to also tour the temporary Cheer Fund headquarters in the area formerly occupied by J.C. Penney.
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