Now in its third year, Chili Beans and Blue Jeans, a chili cook-off benefiting Saline County Court Appointed Special Advocates, has the makings to be the nonprofit’s signature fundraiser, Executive Director Jennifer Harklau said.
CASA has served Saline County since 1997. Its mission is to provide trained community volunteers to represent the best interests of abused or neglected children in court while seeking a safe, permanent home for them as soon as possible. Last year, 85 children benefited from CASA services, Harklau said.
Typically, CASA hosts an early-summer event. The organization was seeking ways to expand its fundraising efforts, and Chili Beans and Blue Jeans was born.
“Chili and fall seem to go hand in hand,” Harklau said.
This year’s festivities — sponsored by Everett Buick GMC, Commercial Air and Ward Team Realty/Truman Ball and Associates — will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday at Northside Church of Christ in Benton in the church’s outreach building. Tickets, which include all-you-can-eat chili and a drink, are $8.
Chili Beans and Blue Jeans has expanded from a few chili-booth participants and a small dessert auction to 14 chili participants this year, a dessert auction and a silent auction with two playhouses that will be raffled. Auction items also include four Disney World park hopper passes, four Kansas City Royals tickets, two Arkansas Symphony Orchestra tickets and more.
The community response to this event, especially from the business community, has been great, Harklau said, noting that since its inception, the cook-off and auction have raised about $10,000 for Saline County CASA.
“In the second year, we doubled our attendance, and we are hoping to increase our success once again.”
A team from First Security Bank is coming back to defend its winning title, Harklau said. The team won the People’s Choice Award both years.
Winners are chosen by a panel of “celebrity” judges from the community. This year’s panel includes Shane Broadway, Susie Everett and Judge Gary Arnold. Arnold presides over the dependency neglect cases in Saline County that CASA is assigned.
Proceeds from this event will allow CASA to increase its service to foster children in Saline County by adding more community volunteers, Harklau said.
“It takes approximately $1,000 per year to recruit, train and supervise one volunteer advocate,” she said. “As of now, we have 28 advocates. We need 40 in order to serve 100 percent of the children in foster care in Saline County.”
Volunteers don’t have to have any particular education or experience, Harklau said.
“They are from all walks of life — teachers, nurses, stay-at-home moms, hair stylists, administrative workers, retired military. Some are employed full time, part time or are retired.”
The local organization has decided to place focus on one signature event next year, and Chili Beans and Blue Jeans will be it, Harklau said.
“We will be expanding our silent auction and seeking even more chili-cook-off participants and more,” she said. “Whether it’s the time of year, the activities or the location, this event has seemed to gain the most interest out of all of the other events we have put together, so we plan to expand on that next year.”
Visit salinecountycasa.org for more information.