ST. PAUL - It was a windy afternoon at the Cornerstone Co-op parking lot on Thursday, but it didn't seem to deter people from coming out to enjoy a warm bowl of chili, check out some impressive classic cars, and for some - put on red high heels to raise funds for the local women's shelter.
It was a busy day, with the annual Co-op chili cook-off taking place in front of the St. Paul grocery store. Teams offered judges their tastiest batch of chili, hoping to be crowned this year's winner. While a few bribes were offered by the likes of the St. Paul Fire Department the the Cornerstone Co-op, the judges kept it professional and based their decision strictly on the chili.
While this year's judges had some experience competing in past chili cook-offs, all three were first-time judges. Bryce Balmer and Justin Anderson both noted it was a different experience to be on the other side of the table, and laughed as they considered getting back into the competition next year now that they know what the judges are looking for.
After testing all the chili and having a short deliberation, this year's chili cook-off winning team was the crew from the Capella Centre. Second place went to the FCSS team, and third place was given to the Zarowny Motors team.
Yvonne Weinmeier, executive director with the St. Paul & District Chamber of Commerce, completed the group of three judges this year. She noted that after making their way through all the chili, the top five teams were clear to all three judges. From there, they narrowed it down.
"At the end, we used the overall flavour as the tie breaker and decision maker," said Weinmeier.
The chili cook-off was won thanks to Capella Centre staff member Hailey's recipe and was served by Hailey, Hailie, Suzanne and Iuliia.
The experience was a very filling one, joked Weinmeier, noting that none of the teams knew what "two spoonfuls" meant. She acknowledged that each of the dishes had their own distinct flavours - and one even had cocoa added to it.
Funds raised at the chili cook-off are being donated to the St. Paul Football Club.
At the other end of the parking lot, a large section was set aside and filled up with classic and restored vehicles. The car show is a newer edition to the afternoon event, and proved to be a hit, as people wandered through the rows of cars, admiring each of them.
The car show was put on thanks to help from CSN Black Ace Collision.
And not far from the rows of classic cars, the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event brought teams out to raise funds and compete in a short race. The event challenges men from the community to put on a pair of red high heels, creating awareness around rape, sexual assault, and gender violence.
Organized by the Capella Centre, about $3,000 was raised for the local women's shelter. The winning team was the crew from Zarowny Motors, proving they could move the quickest in the high heel shoes.
"(The day) was a great team effort from all of Capella Centre staff and I am very proud of all their hard work and support not just for these events but for all the work they do everyday," said Capella Centre director Andrea Myers.
Results from the car show include:
1st place - Dorien Lozeau
2nd place - Brian Burton
3rd place - Connor Nakonechny
