SUNDAY - October 22, 2006

Wannatouchama Regional

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Wannatouchama Regional is a great cookoff. Tony Inglese & crew do an amazing job on behalf of the Apple Valley Rotary's Children's Literacy Programs and Teacher Mini-Grants. Then top it off with Fred & Leah Wieland as Chief Judge & Chief Scorekeeper and everyone wins.

There were two People's Choice contests - One chosen with tickets and the other with ballots. Patti Summers and Deborah Aragon took 1st & 2nd in both just switching places. Pattie took tickets & Deborah took ballots.

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There were two places for Booth/Show. Mike Austin came in 2nd to Bruce Pion's 1st. Once again Bruce brought the hearse, coffin and an energetic crew for a job well done.

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Salsa - 18 Entries

5th Place - Jim Beaty

4th Place - Armando Sanchez

3rd Place - Eileen Beaty

2nd Place - Geraldine Villapano

1st place - Maud Swick

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Verde - 20 Entries

5th Place - Geraldine Villapano

4th Place - Mike Austin

3rd Place - Eileen Beaty

2nd Place - Maud Swick

1st Place - Patricia Sanchez

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Traditional Red - 34 Entries

5th Place - Mike Austin

4th Place - Armando Sanchez

3rd Place - Eileen Beaty

2nd Place - Maud Swick

1st Place - George Swick

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Fred commented on how much the winners resembled the finals tables at World. At look at the judging tent showed Leah, Donnie, Louise & Sharon who all scored World plus Jim Mahel & Phil Morosky again performing their World Tasks. Congratulations to Tony & Fred on a job well done and to all the winners. I think we should all keep an eye on Geraldine. I don't remember her cooking that long (2-3 yrs, maybe longer that I didn't see) but she is definitely one to watch!

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Buena Park Silverado Days District

It was a busy weekend in Southern California. Yesterday featured the 5th Annual Wannatouchama Regional in Apple Valley. It will be memorialized by others. We just want to add kudos to all involved for a well-planned, well-promoted, well-executed, lovely day in the desert.

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Today we were honored to assist Dennis and Allene Macklin with their first official Chief Judge and Chief Scorekeeper duties in Southern California. Many of you know Dennis and Allene as the folks who drag the ICS trailer from pillar to post, selling merchandise, promoting chili cookoffs and spreading goodwill for ICS where ever they go. They are also active, competitive cooks and, now, have branched into officiating at chili cookoffs. Unfortunately, Dennis began the day suffering from a bad head cold, which got progressively worse as the day went on. He held up the organizational end of the cookoff, deferring to Bill Ray to conduct the Judges' meetings for Chili Verde and Red Chili, as Dennis' voice was nonexistant. Allene was organized and knowledgable and performed her scorekeeping duties efficiently.

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This cookoff was sanctioned by ICS for several years, the last time being about ten years ago. They came back with a splash! The event was grandly supported by the local folks. When we numbered the booths, there were 19 red chili cooks, over half of them enthusiastic new ICS members. So close to gaining Regional status, we knew that we had to try for that 20th chili cook. Enter Armando and Patricia Sanchez, who had cooked in Apple Valley yesterday and had come to judge and help at Buena Park. They lived only a few minutes from the site and went home, gathered ingredients and returned to compete. What troopers! To top it off, Armando won the red chili competition. I just love happy endings, don't you!

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The winners list:

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Salsa (8 entries):

3rd, Jason Auxler (a brand new ICS member)

2nd, Karen Milligan

1st, Mary Nicoll

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Chili Verde (7 entries):

3rd, Danny Ashworth (a brand new ICS member)

2nd, Nibs Waters

1st, Tony Angotti

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Traditional Red Chili (20 entries):

5th, Moni Dosanjh (a brand new ICS member)

4th, Mike Hulka

3rd, Mary Nicoll

2nd, Trudi Baker-Reed

1st, Armando Sanchez

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One of the new members, who did not place in any category, came to get her comments at the end of the day and said that this was the most fun she had had in any one day ever!
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