Ag Society to benefit from chili cook off

 RED OAK – Fareway and the Red Oak Rotary Club will look to extend their winning streaks Friday at the 8th annual Barb Gray Memorial Chili Cook Off, sponsored by the Red Oak Express. 

Twelve teams will serve chili at the Red Oak Fire Station from 5-7 p.m. There is no charge to taste the variety of chili, but donations to favorite entries are encouraged. The team that raises the most money receives the coveted People’s Choice Award. 

For the last three years, the Red Oak Rotary Club has won that award, generating more than $1,500 in donations. 

A panel of judges will also award a first, second and third place for the best chili. Fareway has won first place honors each of the last two years after finishing second in 2010. 

Money raised from the event will be donated to the Montgomery County Agriculture Society for their building fund. The organization is raising funds for a $425,000 metal building for the Montgomery County 4-H Fair. Located on the fairgrounds, the 80x180 foot building will replace the recently demolished structures that housed the poultry, rabbit and swine entries. 

In addition to space to house those entries during the week-long fair, the building will also serve as the primary show arena.  

The Ag Society will participate in the cook-off with a dutch oven entry prepared by fairboard member Roger Vial. Homemade cinnamon rolls, courtesy of Dorothy Boswell, will be sold along with drinks to also help raise funds for the fair building. 

“This is a great event that has raised thousands of dollars for various  projects in the community,” Express General Manager Gregory Orear said. “It also gives everyone a chance to try some great chili just before the Tiger football game.”

The Express has hosted the cook off just before the last home football game of the year since 2003. The event was renamed to the Barb Gray Memorial Chili Cook Off in honor of the longtime sales person who helped organize the event until her death in 2010.