I am still staying nights with my father so I will do a post this afternoon and then I can do one again tomorrow if I get more information.
From Janita Hines:
Chili CCO on Feb. 20, 2010
The Comstock Motel (432-292-4484) is now open. The motel will have reduced rates for chili cooks. You do need to call soon though. A reminder that the phone number for Desert Hills RV Park is 432-292-4451. Also, in addition to the events noted in the Trails, there will be a Cajun supper on Thursday night.
From Cynthia Gill and Jim Ezell:
Hola Jim! Well we have finally finished counting! Here are the numbers you asked me for - please let me know if I'm leaving anything out.
We had a record number of contestants this year, with 104 contestants across our 4 contests: Peoples' Choice for Best Chili, CASI Chili, Best Charro Beans and Best Margarita. We also had a great turnout, with approximately 2000 people. Best of all, we more than doubled last year's profit - which we are very proud of in this economy. At this time, our net profit is approximately $350,000 pesos, although we are still hound-dogging some of our silent auction winners to bring us their money, so the total could end up a little higher.
We're in the process of beginning to interview key volunteers for next year. We need to start NOW so that next year will be better than ever. We've received a lot of constructive feedback and we're open to any other ideas you have.
A 3 page spread ran in our local newspaper yesterday.
If you want to see some fun photos of the event, go to http://www.chiliandcharros.com/. On the first page it says "Click here to see photos." You will be linked to a Flicker page. Be sure to click "slideshow" on the upper right of the page so that you can see them full screen. I'm also going to forward you a few more good ones that I don't think have been put on the site yet.
Note: If you would like to see the newspaper report, please send me an email and I will send you a copy. For soe reason, I can not convert it to a jpeg so that I can post it. Janice
From Jim:
This is a summary of a truly incredible event that CASI should be proud to have lassoed. With over 2,000 in attendance for a stand alone chili event this American enclave in San Miguel really turned out to scarf up all the sample chili in less than an hour. People payed $8 a head to get into the festivities which included a raffle, charity auction, riding exhibition in the bull ring, margarita contest, bean contest and many bands and vendors. This is the 4th year of the event and the first with CASI. The promoters will be attending TICC this year to see how we do things.
If you can take a minute to glance at the article and flip thru the slide show on the website you can really feel what a great event it was.
This is the kind of event that makes us "International" and leads us to greater sponsorship opportunities.
From John Goforth:
This past weekend in Sattler, TX, I was honored to receive on behalf of CASI a $1000.00 donation to the CASI Scholarship Fund presented by Billy Bob Weatherly from the Day After Canyon Lake CCO held in 2009. Thank you very much Canyon Lake group for your continued efforts in supporting this program.
Congratulations to GUY BATES. He is the first man to win the Horn Toad CCO held each year in Rankin, TX and it is the 10th yr of this CCO. He is the first man to have a Bronze Horn Toad! Way to go Guy!
NOTE: I have been contacted by several interested parties about having CCOs in new areas of the US and outside the US. The latest one is a request from England. After discussion with Jim Ezell about how we can encourage and execute these events, Jim has come up with an idea.
Jim believes that we need to develop a resource center of people with CASI experience that have access to international points. We could network them and their friends to hopefully target some areas for initial cookoffs. Help and expertise could possibly be webcast from the states to teach and encourage.
There are so many CASI cooks with military friends and relatives and many cooks travel extensively. This is a call to see if we have any of our members interested in doing this adventure. If you are, please email me a garjans@suddenlink.net. This is a way to concentrate on expanding the "I" in CASI.
