Asheville-based Nobel Cider will host its inaugural chili cook-off Sunday, Feb. 21, to benefit Girls on the Run. If you think your chili can bring the heat, then sign up early as entry is limited to 20 contestants. The $15 entry fee gives you the chance to win in one of three categories: Best traditional, best vegetarian and most creative.
If you’re more interested in putting on your chili boots and chowing down, the $5 admission fee gets you chili samples and cornbread. A cash bar will be available featuring ciders and beer. Cook-off attendees will also get to choose this year’s winners as they vote for their favorites.
Trevor Baker, co-owner of Noble Cider, says the contest will have prizes, but the competition will be low-key. He adds that there’s an extra incentive for Highland Brewing Co. fans to join the festivities. “We will be tapping our final keg of [Highland Brewing Company’s] Cold Mountain Winter Ale,” he says.
All money from contestant entry fees and admissions will go to GOTR. The nonprofit provides girls with a curriculum that builds toward running a 5K race while learning lessons about independent thinking, problem solving skills and making healthy decisions. Amy Reneger, executive director of GOTR, says outside funding is vital for the organization’s mission.
Sixty-seven percent of program participants rely on a sliding scale, and “$73,000 in financial assistance helped about 700 girls to go through the program in 2015,” says Reneger. She adds that as GOTR continues to grow, so does its need for donations. “This spring we are expecting to serve a record number of girls, and about 67 percent will need financial assistance representing approximately $29,000,” she says.
For more information about Girls on the Run, visit www.girlsontherun.org. For more information about Noble Cider, visit www.noblecider.com. To inquire about being a contestant, contact Trevor Baker at trevor@noblecider.com or 301-5069.
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