FRIDAY - Aug 15, 2008

Thank You - Lois Dalbis

I just wanted to thank everyone for their out pouring of love and concern in the loss of my husband Tony Dalbis.

Thank you for all that came to share in the celebration of Tony life. It was a great way for us all to say goodbye to him.

Also thanks for all the many many cards and calls. He was so well loved and will be missed so very very much.

I must say that my chili family has been great and so helpful to me in this awful time of my life.

May God be with you all.

Lois Dalbis

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THURSDAY - Aug 14, 2008

MAINE BACK TO BACK UPDATE
Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 13 & 14
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The Chamber of Commerce has a limited number of pop-ups and tables available for those cooks flying in to the event. Fly-ins only, please.
Contact Eleanor Vadenais to reserve them: eleanor@wellschamber.org
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And I've already heard from a few WCCC qualified cooks coming up to do the $500 People's Choice category.
The $500 first place prize will go a long way to help with what the airlines will charge you for hauling your chili boxes to Vegas!
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Joe Harvey, Chief Judge
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WEDNESDAY - Aug 13, 2008

Oregon State Cook-Off

Dear Chili Heads,
We have exciting news for the town of Bonanza. The Oregon State Chili Cook-Off
has changed dates and venues. This year the cook-off will be held on Saturday,
August 23rd. It has also moved location and will be held in the Big Springs
Park in conjunction with the 2nd Annual Homemade Hobby Festival. We are
expecting a large turn out for the two combined events.
As always, we will hold the Cooks' Party on Friday night with tours to the
Koi Farm and Nursery and 12 Ranch Winery for those that are interested. For a
change we will be holding the Friday night party at the Bonanza RV Park. Rick
will cook up his wonderfully tasty Prime Rib and the volunteer firefighters
will include their favorite dishes for a feast to remember.
The cook-off will be under the shade trees of the park and will help with the
heat of the August sun and on the nice green grass. The volunteers will be
available for any help you may need during the day, including set up and break
down. During the day the vendors will be selling their goods and the
entertainment will be playing.
Bonanza RV Park will be available for those in RVs at 541-545-1008. I am
working on getting us a deal for the cook-off. Those of you who have your
reservations at Chief Tyree's will be taken care of. We will also have space
available at the Fire hall with power only. The closest motels are in Klamath
Falls, approximately 22 miles from Bonanza.
If you need additional information or any questions answered please feel free
to contact me at 541-892-8363 or email me at g7yree@cs.com. We are looking
forward to a great cook-off along with getting together with some great
friends. Hope to see you soon on the Chili Trail.
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Best regards,
Glennise Tyree
Cook-Off Chairperson

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TUESDAY - Aug 12, 2008

BACK TO BACK

in Wells, Maine.

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DOWNEAST REGIONAL

, Saturday, September 13

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MAINE STATE

, Sunday, September 14

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Presented by the Wells Chamber of Commerce.
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Cook two world-qualifying cookoffs from the same tank of gas.
And we ain't talkin' propane here, kids.
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Red Green and salsa both days, as always.
Six winners will qualify to represent these two cookoffs in Las Vegas at the
42nd WCCC at the Las Vegas Tropicana Hotel & Casino.
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And please bring lots of People's Choice Chili. 1st place is worth $500 each day.
It's the crowds that keep our cookoffs viable. By feeding them, we help ourselves.
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Harbor Park is an absolutely beautiful venue on the ocean, in Wells, Maine.
For a complete picture, visit the NEW Chilifest website at http://www.wellschilifest.com/
There are links to The Chamber of Commerce, lodging, airports, events, restaurants and
much, more info to help you plan your trip.
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Important; the Wells Fire Dept. is now requiring fire extinguishers at all booths.
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Jerry Buma, the reigning ICS World Champ will be with us.
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Any WCCC-qualified cooks who would like to come up to judge are as always, more than welcome.
If you will be available, please let me know. joetharvey@msn.com
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Hope to see you at one of the last Back-to-Back cookoffs of the year.
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Joe Harvey, Chief Judge

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Elaine Lloyd

Elaine is one of us (Chili checkers)(Lake Havasu Judges) should have explained it in the last email!! They are calling in Hospice!

http://web.mac.com/lisa.andria/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html

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MONDAY - Aug 11, 2008

Tropicana Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, Nevada

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By Captain Jim Maehl, ICS Site Coordinator.

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As it has been some time since Willma and I have visited the Tropicana Hotel & Casino we decided to take a quick trip over and get reacquainted with the property. I of course had to check out the area where the event will be held. Looks like a great area plenty of room with good access for the public to attend. After a little snooping around I satisfied myself that this is going to be a great place for the WCCC. By now Willma and I had worked up an appetite so we took a little tour into the Tropicana Resort. We discovered there is plenty to choose from. We had lunch in the Garden Café and were pleasantly surprised at the quality of food, plenty of it and very tasty. The staff there made us feel totally welcome, refreshing. A variety of restaurants to choose from within the Hotel & Casino. There is a great looking Italian restaurant plus a very elegant looking steakhouse. We also spotted a very nicely arranged Deli with a rather large menu. You can dine there or take it out for a little nosh in your room or to your chili booth. And of course there is the old standby the buffet. And the one at the Tropicana is just waiting for your arrival. They also have a couple of interesting looking liquor stores with a variety of beer and spirits. And if you are a cigar aficionado they have that too. We also noticed a couple of gift shops that stocked necessities of life in case you forget something. There is an area where they have several kiosk selling everything from dark glasses to helicopters (not the real ones those little remote control type). Don't forget to bring your swimming gear as there are beautiful swimming pools set in a tropical theme. The weather in October in southern Nevada is warm during the day but not too hot, perfect weather for a swim or to cook a pot of chili. Don't forget to check out the Casino in the area of the live gaming such as blackjack and roulette look up at the ceiling it is beautiful. This Casino has been featured in several movies. There are photographs in every area of the Hotel and Casino of the old-time movie stars and entertainers that used to play Vegas, such as Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. John Wayne and so on. Check them out. Did I mention the airport is only 15 minutes or less away from the Tropicana, very convenient. With the myriad of shuttle buses, taxicabs and yes you can even hire a stretch limo to whisk you comfortably to the Tropicana Hotel & Casino

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There is no reason to stay anywhere else, the Tropicana has it all. And this year especially Carol Hancock has worked very hard as you all know so please support her and stay at the Tropicana. You really will have a great time. If this whole article sounds like a commercial, it' is! If we don't use it, we all could lose it! Good luck and good chili cooking.

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WCCC Golf Tournament

With the welcome news of where the WCCC will be held this year comes the news that I can now work on the golf tournament to be held on Thursday, October 9. Las Vegas area courses are notorious for sticking it to the tourists, so we will be working very hard to find an affordable course to play. As a reminder, the tournament is being held on the 9th is so that any cooks doing Last Chance will have the opportunity to play if they wish. Those wishing to tee it up this year please email me at GolfNChili@aol.com so that I can book the proper number of tee times. See you in Vegas on the course!

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A letter of thanks

Friends,

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I would like to say thank you to ALL members of the ICS who helped secure the sight for the upcoming WCCC. I have been participating in this "sport" for 13 years and have only been cooking for ICS for the past 4. Chili and cook -offs have made me richer than anyone can believe. If it weren't for chili I wouldn't have had been able to marry my wife ( Thats a very long story we wont go into now). In 2005 I had major open heart surgery and had to put my cooking aside. But, the first place I went when I could travel was to see my friends at a cook off. I only judged, but just being near the ring and so close to my chili friends helped in my recovery. Now 3 years later I have my hat trick I have my 2 adult children cooking and enjoying it. Furthermore, my yet unborn son already has his plane ticket to Vegas. While we were all waiting for the annoucement for the worlds I heard alot of negative stuff about the ICS and what " should" be done. The economy in this country is wrecked. I'm an auto mechanic and can see that people can't even afford to change the oil in there cars or any other minor repairs. So I can imagine what it must be like to ask some companies for a upwards of a quarter of a million dollars to watch us cook chili. I personally would have cooked for a pat on the back. For me, all I want is too cook next to my chili friends and family. Yeah the money would be nice, but I would honestly cook just to have the title. How many people do you know that can say they have competed for a World Championship in anything? Now that we have a sight lets prove to the sponsors that their investment was worth it. And if you happen to see Carol, Vikki and their crew tell them thank you. I would hate to have been in their shoes through all of this. So to Carol Vikki and all of the rest THANK YOU!!!.

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Ghon Eckley

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P.S. Carol when we see you in Vegas I expect to have a picture of you, Kim and my son to put with the one from Delaware Valley!! HAHA

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SUNDAY - Aug 10, 2008

Deep Creek Chili Splash Regional

Nothing like cooking at the base of a mountain, next to a lake with over 70 miles of shoreline!!!!! The Deep Creek Chili Splash at the Wisp Ski Resort was a huge success with the money raised for a local charitable group called the Dove Center. The Dove Center provides aid to victims of domestic violence in the area. The cook off raised over $4000.00 dollars today wich is close to double what it raised last year for the Dove Center. The public turn out was awesome and the weather couldn't have been more agreeable.

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Here are the winners....

Salsa 3rd Noelle Kniemeyer VA

2nd Lauren Lentz-Staley KY

1st Rose Warmuth WV

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Verde 3rd Les Walter MD

2nd Brian Warmuth WV

1st Todd Sloane ??

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Red 3rd Nathan Wilson

2nd Lauren Lentz-Staley KY

1st Kendall Francis MD

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ICS Support

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By Truett Airhart, ICS Advisory Board

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The ICS started as a hobby for an affluent group of Southern California businessmen and has now evolved into an organization that is vital to the quality of life for many people. I don't think it is necessary to convince most cooks of the important role it plays in their lives. Desire is the mother of wealth and the ICS has helped make many ICS members wealthy in that sense. The pleasure most ICS members get from the equivalency of attending multiple family reunions lends balance to their lives. They are very happy when traveling, competing and seeing their extended families. Even though I have not cooked for over 25 years, the ICS has been and is an important part of my life.

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Anyone who has been in sales is familiar with the importance of having a champion in the customer's organization. Within the ICS organization, there is a champion and in fact, there are many. Locating the WCCC takes a big selling job. Things out of our control have been at play making the World's Championship an ongoing challenge. One cook said to me, "The ICS keeps changing locations for the World's Championship. Why don't they keep it in one place?" When the WCCC is located and the necessary funds promised, the ICS makes promises too. Too many times, those promises have not been kept by our members. I told her I had the authority to appoint her in charge of locating a permanent location and she backed off with an excuse. I seriously doubt that many cooks fully realize what an effort it takes by Carol (and Dave) Hancock and others.

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Following is a short list of action items:

· Insurance

· Security

· Tables, Chairs, Cooks and Judges Tents

· Health code compliance

· Fire Dept. compliance

· Entertainment

· Stage and sound

· Management of Volunteers

· Judges

· Aprons

· Medallions

· Trophies

· Prize Money

· Sponsorship

· Judging area supplies

· Advertising and promotion

· Waste Management

· Potties/Wash Stations

· Main Stage Banner

· Signage

· The Big One – Location and money

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Cooks complain that the music is too loud or not the kind of music they enjoy. We are trying to attract young people to the ICS. Their tastes are different and what appeals to them may not appeal to many of us, for example their music. Cooks complain about serving People's Choice Chili. Why would you have that attitude if you're cooking chili as a hobby? The World's Championship Chili Cookoff is what the ICS has to offer as an event. Bands, arts and crafts booths, children's activities, the stage activities, etc., are the extras, but People's Choice Chili is what attracts the people and makes it a public event. Carol Hancock can't "sell" the event to any location or sponsor as a music event or street festival. The ICS is a chili cooking organization. An effort needs to be made by ALL cooks to serve People's Choice Chili. If you don't enjoy the contact and other aspects of this hobby, why do it? If the spectators are happy, the sponsors are happy and that improves the probability of the WCCC returning to the same location the following year. We need to support all those involved in putting on the WCCC and that is not an unreasonable request. It is a small .price to pay to help maintain a good location.

Some may believe there is a God-given right to compete for $25,000 and that is not true. I want everyone to understand that it is possible for the ICS to go away as was threatened in 2000. The WCCC was canceled in 1999, but it was saved by individuals who made the effort to help. In August of 2000, again there was no location or sponsorship money for the WCCC. A few individuals pursued and secured a WCCC location only two months prior to the traditionally scheduled date. The cookoff was saved and what happened? ICS members complained! It was a miracle that the event was salvaged at all – and people complained.

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Please take this letter to heart. It was written with the best intentions as an informational piece. Be a good member of the organization you say that you love. Thanks for your support.

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Truett Airhart

Advisory Board Member

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