Annual Chili Supper fundraiser breaks records ahead of Ernie Blankenship Radio-Telethon
(Photos courtesy of Judge Rocky Coss)
The 19th annual Chili Supper held by the Hillsboro Rotary Club as part of the 53rd Annual Ernie Blankenship Radio-Telethon for the benefit of the Highland County Society for Children and Adults was a record-breaking event.
Rotarians served 134 meals, and the dessert auction raised an additional $7,125 for 46 desserts donated by Rotarians, board members of the Highland Society, staff and employees of this year’s host bank, Southern Hills Community Bank and others. Eighteen gallons of chili were served.
Prior to the dessert auction, poster representative Jennifer Heglund and Dorothy Walker, mother of the poster child, Lukas Walker, addressed the overflow crowd describing their experiences and the assistance that the Society gave them for medical expenses.
Approximately 23 members of the Hillsboro Rotary Club were in attendance, along with numerous officers and employees of Southern Hills Community Bank. Contingents from Merchants National Bank, NCB Bank, First State Bank and Peoples Bank were also present to support the event and donated as well as purchased numerous dessert items. The Hillsboro Altrusa Club members appeared as a group prior to their regular meeting.
The Hillsboro Rotary Club extends its thanks to the Hillsboro VFW and Manuel Cole, who prepared the mild chili; Rotarian Rob Moots, who prepared the hot chili; Highland District Hospital for donating cornbread muffins and Uncrustables for the meal; Chad Abbott for donating the tickets; Rick Williams for his entertaining auctioneering; and all of those who baked and donated desserts and attended the dinner.
The proceeds of the dinner will be presented at the Radio-Telethon, which will be held Wednesday, March 26 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Hillsboro Orpheum in uptown Hillsboro. Pledges and donations may be made in person during the event or by calling (937) 402-1557.
The Greenfield Rotary Club’s event will be held concurrently at McClain High School, and pledges may be made in person there or by calling (937) 981-9971.
The event will be broadcast live on the community cable access channels, on WCHO 101.5 FM and 1590 AM and on WVNU 97.5. It will also be livestreamed on the Society Facebook page and Tech-T.com and the Facebook page operated by Terry Mikkelsen, who provides the camera and electronic equipment for the broadcast.
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