Build Braves the Weather for Charity
By Skylar Rugh, Dozer Park, 9/24/19
Beer, chili, as well as a bit of friendly competition on a rainy day. That’s what BuildPeoria had to offer Peoria last Sunday.
The non-profit organization hosted its annual Chili Cook-off event this year at Dozer Park September 22nd. Build Peoria filled the afternoon with fun family-friendly activities to bring friends and families together to enjoy amazing food and drinks brought to you by restaurants from around the city and its surrounding areas, all funds raised going towards building bus shelters at CityLink bus stops.
Some of the featured caterers were The Blue Duck BBQ Tavern in Downtown Peoria, The Publik House in Peoria Heights, and Kickapoo Creek Winery in Edwards, IL.
The main event was a chili and macaroni and cheese tasting where the guests were able to test different chili and mac from the participating restaurants to choose which one was the best. The winner of the mac cook-off was last year’s returning champions at Untamed Chef with their delicious Buffalo Alfredo Mac.
The winners of the chili competition were the team from The Chef and The Baker with their chocolate-scented chili being loved for its creativity. Runner-ups Olympia Sports Bar and Grill & Dac’s Smokehouse both receiving kudos of their own for their impressive chili innovations.
Other activities went on such as a ticket raffle and silent auction, along with Kyle Lewis, one of Build’s own board member, demonstrating what bus riders go through when waiting for the bus in the rain by sitting in the rain until they raised $150 in raffle sales. An anonymous donor generously offered to donate $200 more for him to stay in the rain a while longer. Don’t worry he did it willingly.
At the end of the event, Build announced they raised a grand total of $25,154 to the excitement of the attendees, thanking all the participants, guests, and staff for their contribution to making sure bus riders will no longer have to sit in the nasty weather changes while waiting for their bus.
- Participating Restaurants:
- The Chef and The Baker
- The Blue Duck BBQ Tavern
- Eat and Evolve
- Dac’s Smokehouse
- The Fieldhouse Bar & Grill
- Hacienda El Mirador
- Harvest Supper Club & Vintage Lounge
- Industry Brewing Co.
- Kickapoo Creek Winery
- Olympia Sports Bar & Grill
- The Publik House
- Untamed Chef
- Build Peoria Board Members:
- Nick A. Yates
- Pete Chambers
- Kyle Lewis
- Samantha Hutchison
- Darlene Violet
- Andrea Huprich
Special thanks to Nick Yates from Build Peoria for helping make coverage possible.
