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4 | February 8, 2018 | The orland park prairie News opprairie.com Community supports veterans at annual Chili Challenge Amanda Del Buono Freelance Reporter There were approximately 18.5 million veterans in the United States as of 2016, according to the United States Census Bureau. And for Orland Park’s John Mackey, a U.S. Army veteran and owner of Mackeys’ Pub, helping his fellow veterans and building awareness for them is a necessity. On Jan. 28, Mackeys’ Pub hosted its fourth annual Chili Challenge, which benefited the Disabled Patriot Fund and the Village of Orland Park Veterans’ Commission. “We’re appreciative for anything that we can give,” Mackey said. “[The veterans] gave so much.” After its first year, it was clear that the Chili Challenge was a hit, Mackey said. So, he got an idea. “At first, it was just the competition,” Mackey said. “Then, I realized we could make a fundraiser out of it. I’m big with veterans in Orland. We also do Queen of Hearts on Wednesdays to benefit the Disabled Patriot Fund.” The Disabled Patriot Fund supports veterans and their families who have been adversely affected by the War on Terrorism, according to its website. The Chili Challenge donations, along with the other efforts by Mackeys’ Pub, help drive the reach of the Disabled Patriot Fund, allowing it to help more veterans, said Gail Blummer, a member of the Disabled Patriot Fund Fundraising Committee and volunteer co-coordinator. “It means everything,” Blummer said. “The [U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs] doesn’t cover much of American Legion Orland Memorial Post 111 Cmdr. Thomas Chambers carries the American flag during the presentation of colors. the disabilities that veterans have from war … and they have to wait for benefits. They do get them eventually, but sometimes they take a while to kick in, and we’re here in the meantime to offer support.” The Village of Orland Park Veterans’ Commission aims to promote awareness of local veterans, and support military members and veterans, along with their families, according to the Village’s website. “We’re the eyes and ears for the mayor to know what’s going on with veterans,” said Len Howard, a veteran of the Illinois National Guard and a commissioner with the Veterans’ Commission. The funds raised by the Chili Challenge will help the commission continue to spread awareness and fund projects, like adding new granite blocks to the Village’s Veterans’ Memorial, Howard said. “[The Commission, Mackeys’ Pub and the Disabled Patriot Fund] work together to do this,” Howard said. “It’s great, because it brings the community together, and it keeps people aware.” A judge in the competition for the past four years, Marine veteran Rob Estand, of Orland Park, said he appreciates any opportunity to spread awareness about the various organizations available for veterans. “All in all, it’s about the veterans and getting people together to teach about veterans’ benefits and how they can help,” he said. Nine chili cooks competed in this year’s event for the Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice awards. Several of the participants in this year’s competition have competed in year’s past. Orland Park resident Greg Sokol gets himself a sample of chili Jan. 21 during the annual Mackeys’ Pub Chili Challenge. Photos by Laurie Fanelli/22nd Century Media Orland Park resident Carol Garding has submitted her chicken chili in the competition for the past three years. “I’m the only one here with a chicken chili, the only one without a red chili,” she said. “They request I make it, and it’s fun to make. It’s something you don’t find up and down the dial.” A retired high school English teacher, Garding has devoted herself to giving back. She is a member of the Orland Park Lions Club and the Tinley Park Lions Club, and always looks for opportunities to help, so competing in the chili challenge was a no-brainer, she said. “I just think it’s a personal responsibility to give back and pay it forward,” she added. Orland Park resident Tom Lynch said he generally attends the Chilly Willie Chili Challenge, but because Orland Park residents Matt Domico (left) and Tom Lynch parktake in the Mackeys’ Pub Chili Challenge. the event was canceled for 2018, Mackeys’ allowed him to continue his tradition. “It’s a great experience,” he said. “I love eating really good chili. It’s totally worth the $5 for the food.” In addition to the chili competition, a raffle was held, and the color guard from American Legion Orland Memorial Post 111 presented the colors. Mackey looks forward to the fifth annual Chili Challenge next year, and said he did not expect the event to become the success it is. “I’m surprised it took off like it did from just four years ago,” he said.
opprairie.com News the orland park prairie | February 8, 2018 | 5 Township kicks off Souper Bowl Challenge Amanda Del Buono Freelance Reporter Throughout the years, many have built traditions around the Super Bowl, and this year Orland Township embarked on its very own Super Bowl weekend tradition. On Saturday, Feb. 3, Orland Township hosted its first Souper Bowl Challenge at the Township Office. “After the holidays, people often forget about the food pantry and other charities in the area, so I challenged my staff to come up with a way to help,” said Paul O’Grady, Orland Township supervisor. “They came up with the soup cook-off. There are so many chili cook-offs, so I thought it was a great idea.” Orland Township’s Souper Bowl Challenge is a soup cook-off featuring local residents and area restaurants competing to make and get votes for best soup. Attendees to the event had the opportunity to taste test more than 25 soups, from baked potato and creamy tomato to Reuben soup. People competed within four divisions, or quarters. The First Quarter was for “Rookies,” which included local foodies between the ages of 12 and 54 years old; Second Quarter, or the “Public Service Pro Bowlers,” featured competitors from emergency services, first responders, military and educators, etc.; Third Quarter, the “Senior Hall of Famers,” featured senior citizen competitors; and Fourth Quarter “Culinary MVPs” included a dozen local restaurants. Mokena residents and sisters Dana Trudeau and Shana Robinson do everything together and look for charity events in which to participate a few times throughout the year. At the cook-off, the women served a chili gnocchi soup. “We wanted to come to help,” Trudeau said. “We knew there’d be donations to Catholic Charities’ Daybreak Center, and we wanted to help.” Local restaurants that competed in the Souper Bowl Challenge included 94 West, Ashford House, Black Sheep, Blissful Banana Café, Chuy’s Tex Mex, Creative Cakes Cafe, Doc’s Smokehouse, Gaston’s Bistro, Parmesans Station, Southfork Family Restaurant, The Original Island Shrimp House and Traverso’s Restaurant. Cindy DeZutter, owner of Blissful Banana Café, said she wanted to take the opportunity to give back to the community. The restaurant showcased its unique take on cuisine with its cook-off entry of a Reuben soup. “We do things a little bit differently at the Blissful Banana Café, so a Reuben soup is a little different, and it’s good for football season,” DeZutter said. In planning for the event, the Township did significant background work to ensure that it would meet health and food safety codes, as amateur chefs were competing, O’Grady said. It was important to the Township to ensure that the cook-off would be a safe environment both for families and food. The event also included raffles, football-themed games, a “halftime show” by the Tinley Park Bulldogs cheerleaders, and the opportunity to meet and mingle with a roster of celebrity judges. The celebrity judges Tom Cunningham (right) samples soup from Southfork Family Restaurant, served by volunteers Marie Murray (left) and Audrey Heitman, Saturday, Feb. 3, at Orland Township’s first Souper Bowl Challenge. Photos by Mary Compton/22nd Century Media included Star 96.7 morning show host Lisa Jordan, Illinois State Senator Bill Cunningham, Orland Hills Village Trustee Kyle Hastings II, Orland Township Clerk Cindy Murray and chef Rachel Murphy from Robert Morris University’s Culinary Arts program. Jordan recently moved to the area and was excited to get involved in community events, but also is a foodie and appreciated the opportunity to sample the soups. She also brought her own ham and bean soup to donate, she said. “When I heard this was a food-related event going to a good cause, I wanted to be a part of it and help the community,” Jordan said. “My co-host and I have been trying to reach out to the community to help bring attention to important causes.” Cunningham said the Souper Bowl was only his second attempt at judging a culinary contest since he became a state senator, but he developed a method to help him get through the cook-off. “I was invited by Paul O’Grady, and anytime Paul asks for something I do it, but this is the easiest thing I’ve been asked to do,” Cunningham said. “Orland Township does an outstanding job of coming up with really innovative events — this is one, and Senior American Idol is another. It just shows what a great job the Township does to bring people out.” In addition to the batches of soup made for sampling throughout the event, all of the entrants made an additional batch of their specialty soups to be donated to Catholic Charities’ Daybreak Center and Crisis Center for South Suburbia. All of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Orland Township Food Pantry. “The main goal is to remind people about the food pantry, domestic violence shelters and Catholic Charities Daybreak in Joliet,” O’Grady said. After the success of the inaugural Souper Bowl Challenge, the Township plans to continue the event and build upon it throughout the years, O’Grady said. “I think it turned out to be a fun event. I want to thank all of the local restaurants and especially Square Celt for allowing our rookies to cook in their kitchens and the community who came out,” O’Grady said. “I think if we raised $1,000 today, it’d be awesome for an inaugural event. We’ve already had an influx of food Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady (right) crowns Donna McIntyre, of Orland Park, champion of the Senior Hall of Famers Division at the Souper Bowl Challenge. in the food pantry. Any cash [we can donate] is gravy on top of that.” The Souper Bowl Challenge was a success as it concerned community members who attended, as well. Orland Park resident Irene Michalski said that she was apprehensive about attending the event but was happy that she did in the end. “I like it,” she said. “It was fun. It was entertaining.”
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