Great prizes, live music by The Stiltsville and Funk Pedal, food, drinks and more await festival goers for the second annual Rotary Chili Cook Off and chefs are encouraged to sign up early.
Application for entry are now available online at www.chilichillin.com. The event runs from 1 to 5 p.m. but competing chefs will arrive much earlier to prepare their chili on site. This promises to be another great outdoor event for the entire family. Those wishing to sample and vote for the best chili may purchase a bracelet for $10. There are cash prizes in multiple categories for chili as well as one for best decorated booth.
Several organizations and businesses already are signed up and testing recipes. Those interested should reserve space as soon as possible.
South Miami Rotarians will have that same weekend off this year and are invited to join the fun and compete in the Chili Cook Off. This is typically the same weekend as South Miami Rotary’s annual Art Festival which was bumped for a car show. Sadly, the City of South Miami failed to make a courtesy call before giving the weekend away after 35 years. On a positive note, hopefully this Art Show will return next year.
The GFWC Coral Gables Woman’s Club held a double header with a meeting on Jan. 11 and then again on the Jan. 18. Secretary Valerie Valenzuela, who will be preparing the club’s chili for the upcoming Rotary event, was honored at the first meeting of the year as “Member of the Month” by president Deborah Van Stone Moore. The meeting also entailed initial planning for the club’s major dental clinic fundraiser to take place on Apr. 8 and be chaired by Arely Ruiz. Save that date for an awesome gala.
Karaoke night on Jan. 18, the very next week, was held as a CGWC fun night at the clubhouse with singing, old Cabaret video viewings, food, drinks. This provided members a chance to enjoy time with all the guests and many new members recently installed in December and to make make plans for the club’s fourth annual Youth Festival to take place Feb. 4, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the clubhouse, 1001 E. Ponce de Leon Blvd.
The festival is a free event and children from all over South Florida are invited to participate and enjoy numerous hands on activities. It also is a great opportunity to tour the club’s free children’s dental clinic that provides more than $225,000 in free care annually to children who fall between the cracks in the healthcare system.
Saving the lives of babies requires hot lines and a dedicated master mind, Nick Silverio, founder of A Safe Haven for Newborns. Nick works 24/7, receiving no compensation, to make sure mothers-to-be are cared for and that babies will not be abandoned. To support the efforts, sign up to participate or form a team for their upcoming A Safe Haven for Newborns Walk at Amelia Earhart Park on Saturday, Feb. 25. To sign up, visit <www.asafehavenfornewborns,org>.
Chairing this year’s event will be Norris Perez who is the ultimate volunteer working with Marti Bueso and an amazing committee of dedicated people.
Whipple and Morales will performing their Always Remember–Miami Showcase before their next tour, on Mar. 3, with a concert at at the United Methodist Church, 7900 Coral Way, from 8 to 10 p.m.
Until next time, keep making each day count.
If you want to submit information for this column, please send your news via email to gloria@communitynewspapers.com.
