Chilly Run, chili cookoff set for Feb. 18

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Posted 2/1/17

BAY MINETTE, Alabama — The Bay Minette Rotary Club and Heritage Junior Women’s Club will again join forces to put on fundraisers for the North Baldwin Coalition for Excellence in Education. The …

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Chilly Run, chili cookoff set for Feb. 18

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BAY MINETTE, Alabama — The Bay Minette Rotary Club and Heritage Junior Women’s Club will again join forces to put on fundraisers for the North Baldwin Coalition for Excellence in Education. The events will be held Feb. 18 at the Community Kids Park in Bay Minette.

The Rotary Club’s ninth annual “Chilly Run” will begin at 9 a.m. for the 5K run/race walk and 10 a.m. for the 1-mile fun run. The chili cook-off sponsored by HJWC begins at 10 a.m.

Both clubs again chose the coalition as beneficiary and proceeds will help fund teacher grants for the nine schools in the Baldwin County High School feeder pattern. Last year, NBCEE awarded more than $10,000 in grants using funds from these two events. Since its inception in 2008, NBCEE has presented more than $80,000 to teachers in north Baldwin schools.

“The Heritage Junior Women’s Club believes in and supports the community in which we all live and play. As an organization, we believe that a strong education system builds strong communities; we are proud to continue to host this annual event,” said Ashley Davis, event chair. “The Chili Cook Off is one of my favorite events of the year! This is my fourth year chairing the cook off side of the event, and every year I am continued to be blown away by the support from the community.”

The HJWC Chili Cook-off will feature several prizes including best overall chili, best non-chili chili, hottest chili, crowd favorite and other categories. Teams can be formed in clubs, organizations, businesses or among friends. Booths are $25 and entrants must provide at least seven gallons of chili.

Admission tickets are $5 to sample chili. To register a team, or other information, call Ashley Jones at 251-937-5665. The day’s activities will also include performances by area school groups.

Rotary Club member Karmen Still said these two events held built community support. “The chili run and cook-off unite our community around a common goal: to resource our teachers and students,” Still said. “Being part of hosting such an event is a way I am able to give back to a community which has played such an instrumental role in my life and career.”

Registration for the Chilly Run is $15 for students and $20 for adults. After that date, the price is $20 and $25 respectively. Pre-registered runners are guaranteed a T-shirt and all others will be given out on first-come, first-served basis. Participants will also receive one ticket to the chili cook-off. Fruits, snacks and beverages will also be provided.

Race packets will be available for pick-up Feb. 17 at the North Baldwin Fitness Center or at the park on race day. Prizes will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place male and female for overall, race walk and by age groups. The top three male and female fun run winners will also receive awards. The Rotary Club will also present a $200 prize to the school with the most pre-registered participants and $100 for second place.

Registration is available online at active.com or forms are available at the North Baldwin Fitness Center, Bay Minette City Hall, from Rotary Club members or by emailing Karmen Still at Karmen@sfmco.com. For more details, call Still at 251-421-3073.

Sponsorships are available for the day's events including Hot Pepper/Sprinter Sponsor, $500; Walker/Mild Pepper Sponsor, $250 and Heartburn/Muscle Cramp Sponsor, $100. For more information about sponsorships, contact Still or Davis.

The Teacher Grant program was started by the Heritage Junior Women's Club and was eventually turned over to the education foundation after it formed in 2008. The women's organization has continued to support the grant program through the years.

NBCEE will award its teacher grants in the spring, following an application process. The grants are awarded in $500 increments and applications are open to any teacher serving in one of the nine schools in the north Baldwin feeder pattern. Last year, more than 20 educators were awarded grants through NBCEE using funds generated from the Chilly Run and Chili Cook-Off.

Ashley Davis, Chili Cook-Off Chair, said that’s why it’s so important to back our local schools and educators. “Our schools are wonderful, and our teachers work hard, this event to raise funds for supplemental grants for them is the least we can do as an organization,” said Davis. “Our teachers and students deserve so much more, and by helping to fund these grants we are helping teachers have the means to bring to life the extra pieces of the vision they have for their classrooms.”

For more information about the North Baldwin Coalition for Excellence in Education, visit its website at www.nbcee.org.