Charity Event Attended by GFD Firefighters

Being a firefighter is a way of life, not just a job. We help people in their time of need, sure. However, we also like to give back to the community that supports us whenever we can.

This year was the second time that Graafschap Firefighters competed in the Annual Cow Hill Yacht Club‘s Charity Chili Cook-Off at Wick’s Park in Saugatuck. The proceeds of ticket sales are used to fund the many projects of the club as they support the less fortunate.

While serving out over 12 gallons of chili, the GFD guys promoted the Annual July 4th Pancake Breakfast put on by the Friends of the Graafschap Fire Department, a 501C Charity. Many conversations were had with the some Laketown residents and others that introduced themselves. Our families even came out to support and help.

The official judging was a blind taste-test with each chili being assigned a number so the judges did not know the origin. The people’s choice was determined with open ballots dropped in the patron’s favorite.

Over 14 competitors entered the event with over 30 different chili batches. The awards were in 3 categories: Traditional, Unique, and People’s Choice. Our unique chili entry was a slow-roasted, smoked chili made by Firefighter Ben Draper. The traditional chili with tomatillos and other ingredients from the garden was made by Captain Dave Grumney.

We brought home the gold with the traditional batch, but both were very popular. The best part is when people would come back for seconds and tell us they thought it was the best. Not bad for being the only non-restaurant in the competition. Jim Hayden from Laketown Township was there early and even helped us set up. He wrote a nice article for their website. You can read it by clicking here.

Friends of GFD will be at the Outdoor Discovery Center next weekend for the Treats and Trails passing out candy to the kids and answering any questions that arise. Stop out and see our firefighters!