The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation is gearing up for the sixth annual Chili Cook Off on Saturday inside the community building at the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce Fairgrounds. The foundation is hosting the event to raise funds to benefit TCMH Hospice of Care.
Jay Gentry, the foundation director, is overseeing the chili cook off and related activities. In 2011 the foundation brought raised more than $65,000 for Hospice of Care.
“We have started a tradition of holding an event that provides fun and entertainment for all ages and raises much-needed funds for a really good cause,” Gentry said.
The event will feature 16 teams competing for chili prizes and in raising money for Hospice of Care. The event will also include music, a live auction, a chili dog eating contest, an inflatable slide and face painting for kids, a cake walk and booths with special foods or games as well as the opportunity to sample all the chili.
Chili cooking teams are comprised of five people and are sponsored by businesses and organizations. This year’s participants are: Intercounty Electric Cooperative; Landmark Bank in Houston; Big Country 99; Houston Future Business Leaders of America; Community Bank N.A. in Summersville; Raymondville United Methodist Church; Houston Walmart Supercenter; Mercy Clinic-Houston; Houston High School administration; State Farm Insurance, Justin Shelby; Rolla Technical Center Radiology Technologist Program; Hometown Heroes; and Gentry Residential Treatment Center.
The TCMH emergency medical services department, surgery department and Hospice of Care are participating in the cook off with chili cooking teams, too.
“There’s some healthy competition among our hospital departments, too,” Gentry said. “TCMH EMS will be defending their ‘Chili with the Most Kick’ title.”
A 2 p.m. live auction will be a major portion of the fundraising for the day. The auction features several local artists. Lanie Frick donated rodeo-themed paintings, and Barbara White donated a watercolor. Harold Mitchell of Houston made and donated a blanket chest in honor of his mother who was in Hospice of Care service. Hand-pieced quilts have been donated by Peggy Holder, Ann Berger and Dorothy Perkins.
Other donated items in the auction include one locally raised beef; a winter wonderland getaway to Breckenridge, Colo.; a bed and breakfast and brewery package; a Christmas trip to St. Louis to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes; and a sports package for the St. Louis Rams. Several large raffle items will also be awarded to winners at the event.
The TCMH EMS chili cook off team has been raffling tickets for a Can Am UTV. Only 250 tickets are being sold for the UTV. All of the chili cook off teams are raffling tickets for a Bass Pro jon boat and a Remington brand .30-.06 rifle. The raffle items will be immediately awarded following the live auction.
“Hospice of Care has a long tradition and a well-known reputation for providing physical, mental and spiritual care for terminally ill patients and their family members in Texas County and the surrounding area regardless of their ability to pay for the services,” Gentry said. “Many people look forward to the annual hospice fundraising event as a way to give back to a charity that has benefited them, their family or friends.”
Hospice of Care provides end of life care for patients and their families regardless of a patient’s ability to pay for the service. If insurance coverage is not available, Hospice of Care may use Chili Cook Off funds to purchase medications in addition to providing care at no charge.
“Our goal is to raise at least $70,000 for Hospice of Care through the raffles, cook off ticket sales, the auction and team fundraising,” Gentry said.
The foundation has a special “Hospice Fund” for the chili cook off money and other hospice donations, such as memorials.
“A very important aspect of the annual Hospice of Care fundraising event is that all money raised at the event will stay in the Texas County area to benefit area patients,” Gentry said.
“We want everyone to come out to our event, bring their kids, and have an afternoon of fun while raising money for a very worthy cause,” Gentry said. “Once again, the foundation board of directors and Hospice of Care staff are excited to bring this event to the community.”
Tickets to the event are $10 for adults and $5 for children. They are available through Hospice of Care and the Healthcare Foundation at TCMH.
For more information about a sponsorship or to make a gift in support of the chili cook off, contact the TCMH Healthcare Foundation at 417-967-1377 or online at www.tcmh.org.