Author Archives: mrskerin

The End of an Era for the Lyon Park Neighborhood and Community Center—And the Beginning of a New One!

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By Aaron Schuetz

Jeannette Wick has been a part of the Lyon Park Community Center’s Board of Governors for more than 20 years, and has served as Chair for the past 15. She will step away from the role at the end of the year. Jeannette’s sense of civic duty and commitment to her position have translated to volunteering an average of 10 hours each week handling issues with building and park maintenance, taxes, non-profit requirements, County policy, rentals, neighbors, and legal matters. Much went  unnoticed, some was criticized, all has helped keep our park and Center in great shape.

Jeannette moved into Lyon Park in 1987 and since that time has worked with the not-just-for-Woman’s Club to bake and sell hundreds of thousands of cupcakes to support the LPCC. She organized the annual Craft Fair for more than 20 years and prepared this newsletter for many years. For about seven years before, during, and after the LPCC renovation, Jeannette organized substantial fundraising efforts (thanks to many of you for responding!), and found, coordinated, appealed and eventually secured a historic tax credit that delivered $163,000 to pay down the renovation loan. These efforts helped ensure the LPCC’s solvency, retiring the loan six years ahead of schedule and just ahead of when the pandemic decimated rental income and would have challenged our ability to make loan payments.

And when it rains, it pours. Cindy Stroup and Bill Short have also chosen to step down at year’s end. Bill has been a Jack-of-all-trades for the Community Center for over a decade, frequently coming in late at night so the space is clean and looks great for the next renter or community user. Bill always goes above and beyond as he deals with excess messes and even damage from renters (he has many gross stories to share…not all are bathroom based!). As LPCC’s caretaker, he addressed many issues to keep the Center looking great.

Cindy has been the rental agent for more than 10 years, starting just before the renovation. During her tenure, Cindy created the online rental process and structured a clear framework for renters to follow. She has supervised roughly 1,200 rentals, more than half from residents like you. In order to maximize rental income to ensure there are sufficient funds for building maintenance and improvements, she proactively recruited more unconventional clients (funerals, classes, business meetings, etc.) to use the center more on previously slow weekdays, instead of relying solely on larger parties that create more stress on the building and the neighborhood. 

During Cindy’s tenure, annual rental income has increased from the tens of thousands to well over $100K annually. Cindy’s very clear rental contracts and checklists have helped reduce, though regretfully not eliminate, violations and misunderstandings (many people simply don’t read what they sign), but she consistently followed up on each with frequent visits to the community center at all hours, and weathered rude treatment from some renters. In addition to being the rental agent, Cindy often schedules maintenance and inspections, maintains supplies, and ensures that all of the building logistics and needs are addressed. Her vigilant oversight, availability, and passion for the community have been essential to minimizing the negative impacts of having a rental event hall in our neighborhood. We’ve all benefited from her commitment. 

Jeannette, Cindy, and Bill all deserve our thanks and gratitude. They set an example of hard work and concern for our community. 

Replace isn’t the word for what’s next. We won’t find people like them, and may need to change some processes to adapt. But hiring a rental agent who is diligent and thorough is a priority. We need someone who can reliably handle rentals, tax documents, financial records, trash contracts, and legal matters. We need people to safeguard this community asset as it prepares to celebrate its 100th year in our park. 

Please consider contributing to help ensure the smooth operation of our park and Center. We have been deliberately light on appeals in the last few years following the renovation and Covid, but the Center relies on donations from the community to thrive. Tax deductible donations (one time or monthly) are easy to do here: https://lyonpark.info/donate/. 

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Restaurant Vibes:  An Introduction to Tasty Chicken Box and Lamb

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By Philip Conklin

A relatively new restaurant for Lyon Park, Tasty Chicken Box & Lamb at 2716 Washington Boulevard offers Mediterranean/Middle Eastern wraps and meat/rice combination platters. Family-owned and operated, these words from their website make their intent clear: Tasty Chicken Box started with a dream to bring joy to people one bite at a time.

It is primarily a takeout spot while also offering booths and tables inside and cafe tables outside. Chicken Box is a neighbor to local favorites El Charrito el Caminante (Salvadoran/Mexican), Texas Jack’s (bbq), and Troy’s Italian  and fills a “flavor gap” previously filled by Astor Mediterranean. My guess is Chicken “Box” is a play off of current “Bowl” based restaurants. When you order, your meal is layered into a box as you make your choices for mains and toppings.

The core menu is comprised of kabob and shawarma-style meat platters (chicken, lamb, or both) with rice, salad, vegetables, and two sauces (one spicy, one mild, both delicious), and wraps (meat, lettuce, vegetables, and sauces). For vegetarians, there is falafel in platter or wrap form. Plus, there is hummus, tabouli, and stuffed grape leaves (dolmas) to enjoy. Much of the menu can be ordered as family-style combination platters for sharing, or for event catering. 

On the night I dined in, I enjoyed grape leaves and a falafel platter. At the next table, a large group of twenty-somethings was finishing their meal while talking animatedly. When I asked them, “How was the food?”, I got a loud “Delicious!”, followed by, “The chicken is sooo good!” and “The lamb is my favorite.”  Clearly, this was not their first visit, and I felt that they captured the essence of Chicken Box’s appeal. This is a clean (but not corporate slick) neighborhood based fresh fast food restaurant offering a variety of tasty and well portioned options at a reasonable price point.

Beverages offered are bottles and cans of soft drinks. Yelp reviews trend quite favorably. Hours of operation are 10a.m. – 10p.m. M-Th, 10a.m.-2a.m. Fr-Sa, 10a.m.-11p.m. Sun. Phone number: (571) 497-2133. Order through their website (Toast) https://tastychickenbox.com, DoorDash or UberEats. Credit card, Apple Pay/ Google Pay and cash accepted. 

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A Rose by Any Other Name—Naming the Newsletter

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By David Newman

Did you notice the name of this newsletter? It’s Lyon Park Bulletin; however, before October 2022, it was Lyon Park Citizen. We’re planning to revert to the original name, created at the newsletter’s inception in 1976, and want you to know why. If you have concerns about changing the name, please let us know!

The main reason we want to revert to the original, Lyon Park Citizen, is to remind everyone residing in Lyon Park that you are citizens of Lyon Park—and that means something!  As citizens of Lyon Park, you enjoy some privileges and opportunities—including receiving this newsletter with lots of information you may want and some information you may need. Also, all residents or owners of homes in Lyon Park are eligible for special residential rental rates when booking the Community Center for their own event. (Ashton Heights residents get special rates, too!)  And finally, you are invited to all of the community events hosted at the Lyon Park Community Center, including the Lyon Park Spring fair, the pancake breakfast, chili cook-off, the egg roll, the food truck fest, the community yard-sale, and tons more, all of which will be posted in the newsletter.

“Citizen” is defined as an inhabitant of a town or city; citizenship has benefits, and also carries responsibilities. We hope that, as Lyon Park citizens, you will be welcoming neighbors and go one step beyond, by finding time to volunteer at community events and with community organizations to help keep the Lyon Park community strong. Through local committees, you can make a difference, because they help shape and preserve our community. We hope you’ll become a member ($10/year) of the Lyon Park Citizens Association (LPCA) and vote for capable neighbors to fill positions in the LPCA and other neighborhood organizations. When you’re ready, maybe you’ll serve as an officer of one of those organizations!  Those opportunities are published in this newsletter, so keep your eyes on this space!

Another reason for reverting to the original name is to highlight the connection between this newsletter and the Lyon Park Citizens Association. One important role of the LPCA is to distribute information on issues of concern to the community. This newsletter is an important channel for distributing that information—and we want readers to know that the people putting together and distributing the newsletter have no agenda or interests other than keeping Lyon Park residents informed and promoting community and connection.

I expect some of you are wondering why the name was changed in in 2022 to Lyon Park Bulletin. In President’s Messages in the newsletters published in October 2021 and September 2022, leadership noted that they wanted to make communications from the LPCA Board to Lyon Park residents more inclusive and welcoming, during a period when immigration was highly politicized. We believe returning to Lyon Park Citizen advances the goal of inclusiveness and hope you agree. Please email us at LyonParkEditor@gmail.com if you want to share views on the impending name change.  

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A Soggy But Successful Spring Fair

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By Paul Showalter

The 98th Spring Fair was a soggy success. While mother nature kept the park wet all day, the kids (and parents) made the best of it. With reimagined games, 2,400 sq. feet of tents, new food options, and a fabulous volunteer team, the day went off without a hitch. A new addition to the Spring Fair, the “Recycling Parade”, was a big hit with the kids. This was an event created “by kids for kids” by Sara and Sofia Cakici. 

The Rosenbaum’s (Darcy, John, and Benton) once again dug into their bag of tricks and tools and transformed the park into a magical playground for kids. New games like the “Bull Ringer”, “Hole in One” and the “Frog Flinger” were well received by participants as well as old favorites like the “Axe Throw” and the “Bean Bag Toss”.

Inside the community center, the Women’s Club bake sale sold out of all their goodies; we played numerous games of “Prize-A-Bout”, with kids winning baked goods and other prizes (I served as the event’s MC which I enjoyed immensely); we had face painting, cotton candy, popcorn, a huge prize table area, and plenty of seating for people buying lunch (those soft pretzels were tasty). 

This event, like every event at Lyon Park, could not happen without a large group of volunteers. Pat Schuck did an amazing job managing the kitchen and Kim Franklin and Sharon Showalter pitched in to be event cashiers. Many other neighbors stepped up to help and it was appreciated.

We had more than 16 high school volunteers with us on Friday and Saturday. One of your neighbors, Grace Abbott, volunteered for five hours on Friday night and then spent the entire day on Saturday helping with setup, running games, face painting, and then cleaning up. We even had a crew of elementary school students (Alex Peters, Benton Rosenbaum, Zev Keller, and Alexys & Alejandro Linder) running games and painting faces. All volunteers worked tirelessly throughout the rainy day to make sure everyone had fun. We are truly blessed to live in such a wonderful neighborhood.

If you have a rising sophomore, junior or senior who wants to volunteer in the community, have them reach out to LyonParkEvents@gmail.com.. 

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Local Kids Triathlon Club turns 20!

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By Melissa Merson

Lyon Park is home to Arlington’s award-winning school-based youth triathlon program, now celebrating 20 years of teaching the swim-bike-run disciplines of triathlon. The before-school program for 3rd–5th graders at Long Branch Elementary School runs for 10 weeks each Spring. The training encourages children to have fun while participating in physical activities.

“Twenty years ago, triathlon was a new Olympic sport,” according to Melissa Merson, club founder and head coach. “Since then, we’ve trained hundreds of kids of all abilities in our program, which is a national role model for youth sports. We are grateful to Long Branch Elementary, its PTA, and the Lyon Park sponsors who have helped us to ensure no child ever is turned away.” 

The program’s USAT-certified coaches train kids for The Arlington Triathlon in Memory of Anne Viviani. The race is officially sanctioned by USA Triathlon. Arlingtonian Anne Viviani was one of the best triathletes in the world. She represented the U.S. in 37 world championships and three times won the long-course world championship and nine other national titles. Anne died tragically in 2018 while driving home from the USA National Duathlon with her husband Donn. A deer struck their vehicle, killing her instantly. Anne’s funeral at the Lyon Park Community Center drew hundreds of mourners from around the world. Anne’s family members will be presenting medals to the finishers.

The Arlington County Board has issued a proclamation honoring the Arlington Triathlon Club’s 20-year milestone. The Arlington Triathlon draws youth ages 7–15 from across the metropolitan Washington area. Spectators are welcome at the race, which is part of USA Triathlon’s Virginia-Maryland State Youth Triathlon Series. 

For information on race sponsorships contact: arlingtontriathlonclub@gmail.com. Please support the club by purchasing a meal at Troy’s Italian Kitchen all day Sat. June 8th (you are welcome to carry it to join the club lunch in the park at noon.)  Lyon Park kids enjoy 20% off race registration until 6/6 for the triathlon on Sunday, June 9th at W-L Pool. Use code LongBranch20 when you register at:  https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Arlington/ArlingtonTriathlon. 

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It Takes a Community to Survive an Ultramarathon!

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By Adam Rasmussen

In May, I completed my first 100-mile trail running race, the Massanutten Mountain Trails (MMT). While it is one of my greatest personal achievements, it is also an accomplishment for the community that welcomed, encouraged, and prepared me for this race. Ultramarathoning is a highly competitive sport with athletes breaking records all the time. And like many other competitive sports, corporate sponsorship has influenced the culture surrounding the elite races. Despite this, the sport remains highly accessible and encouraging for newcomers of all ages and paces at the local level. 

I’ve been a trail runner for 10 years, but never ran more than a half marathon until I decided to take the plunge into ultramarathoning last year. An ultramarathon is a run that is longer than 26.2 miles. The most common race distances in the US are 50K, 50 miles, 100K, and 100 miles.

Most runners, including myself, begin with a 50K (31 miles). That may seem daunting to most of you reading these words. I wasn’t sure I could do it either. One of the many things I learned at my first ultra last year was that I should be confident that my fellow participants and the volunteers staffing the aid stations would have my back. When I developed severe cramps in both calves due to low electrolytes, I lost track of how many runners passing me offered to pick me up, supply salt capsules, and words of encouragement. Friendly volunteers at the aid station filled my water bottles and asked me what I needed to continue, and I finished the race.

I no longer need the help of the ultramarathon community to simply survive a race. Still, I depend on them for advice on the best places and races to run, and for inspiration to push myself beyond what I thought was possible.

That takes me back to MMT. I completed the 100 miles because I trained the last 4 months and because I had a crew and pacers from the community who knew what I needed to cross the finish line. This happened despite serious physical and mental challenges. While I didn’t know it at the time, I broke my big toe 20 miles into the race. What I did know, around mile 80 (~1 a.m.), was that my left calf was in excruciating pain as I faced one of the steepest climbs of the course. When I reached the top of the ridge I couldn’t run. It took me almost two hours to hobble 3.5 miles—by far my low point in the race.

My pacer was having none of my talk about quitting at the next aid station. She and the rest of my crew committed their weekend to ensure that I finished this race, and I wasn’t about to let them down. Fortunately, the ibuprofen I had taken finally kicked in and I was able to pull it together mentally to finish the race. I have no doubt that the ultramarathon community running the aid stations, staffing my crew, and providing pre-race strategies were responsible for me finishing this race and the 10 other ultramarathons I’ve run in the last 14 months.

Even if ultramarathons are a trail too far for you, there are many opportunities to enjoy recreational and competitive trail running in the DC region. I would start with Virginia Happy Trails Running Club (https://new.vhtrc.org/). They offer weekly recreational runs for the slow and the fast and free ultramarathon distance events and competitive races throughout the year. I started with Sundays in the Park, which offers a different experience each week of 7–10 miles in Rock Creek Park and the Potomac Heritage Trail, sometimes meeting right here in Arlington at Roosevelt Island. I also recommend volunteering to staff an aid station at a VHTRC event so that you can experience what it’s like to participate before committing to the training. 

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Neighbors Making a Difference:  Robert and Shelya White

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By Kathleen McSweeney

For half a century, Robert and Shelya White have lived on the corner of North Fillmore and 4th Street across from Lyon Park. In 1973 they toured what was then a dilapidated two-bedroom house. They purchased their home over the strong objections of their realtor because they liked the neighborhood, it was close to their jobs, and the house was the right price ($37,950) for their family. Talks of a metro being planned a few blocks away in Clarendon sealed the deal. They raised two sons, Steven and Robert, in that home. In 2008, Shelya and Robert did a major renovation and rebuilt the house that stands on the corner today. 

Both Shelya and Robert are retired Federal employees. Shelya worked as a Human Resources Specialist for several agencies. She mentioned that she should have followed the advice she routinely gave new government hires: “Take an early retirement and then spend your life traveling.” Robert worked as a civil servant for 33 years, first as an environmental and physical scientist before retiring from Federal service and contracting with Northrup Grumman. After retiring, Shelya was able to take her own advice. She and Robert have taken trips to several places including England, France, Switzerland and the Vatican, Australia, Hawaii, Tahiti, the Carribean, Panama, and Alaska.

In addition to their busy jobs and family responsibilities, Shelya and Robert have volunteered for decades. Much of their charitable work has been as members of the Eastern Star (Shelya and Robert) and Masons (Robert) helping to raise significant funds for many worthy causes.  Both have held leadership positions and served as Grand Representatives from Virginia to Australia (Robert in 2013 and 2014) and to New York (Shelya in 2015). Robert is a founder and served as secretary of the Patriot Lodge at George Mason University, and Shelya currently serves as the Secretary of the local Unity Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. 

Locally, Robert served on the Board and was the Vice President of the Arlington Historic Society. Shelya has served for decades on the Board of the Lyon Park Woman’s Club and has been a reliable volunteer at Lyon Park annual events such as the Spring Fair, Halloween donut and cider distribution, spaghetti dinner, and regular cupcake sales. For years, members of the Woman’s Club have appreciated receiving Shelya’s hand-written cards extending good wishes for birthdays and special events, and condolences when loved ones have passed. Those cards are a meaningful and personal expression of community here in Lyon Park. 

Growing up, Robert’s family had limited means but were close and supportive. When asked why they spend so much time volunteering Robert stated that he was raised to always help people – whether they be family or members of the community. Shelya responded, “We live in such a privileged community here in Lyon Park. It is heartbreaking to witness other Arlington neighbors who need assistance, and we feel compelled to help.” 

Note: Robert and Shelya have started a 501(c)3 organization to fund research for a very rare, degenerative disease called Alexander Disease that has impacted members of Robert’s family and strikes 1 out of every 2.7 million people. If any neighbor has knowledge and can  assist them in including the charity in the annual Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), please reach out to them.

 

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Recycling Parade for a Greener, More Sustainable Lyon Park Community

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By Tatiana Baquero Cakici

We are excited to announce that the Recycling Parade, originally scheduled for Saturday, April 20, 2024, has been rescheduled to Saturday, May 18, 2024, which will take place concurrently with the Lyon Park’s Spring Fair for your convenience. We hope that you can join us on the new date!

The Recycling Parade is an environmental conservation project from seven-year-old Sara Cakici, a resident of Lyon Park and a first-grade student of the Arlington Traditional School (ATS). The event will involve encouraging both children and adults to participate in fun activities using recyclable or recycled materials from home, followed by a parade through Lyon Park, where participants will march enthusiastically, displaying their signs promoting recycling and demonstrating their dedication to sustainable living.

The Recycling Parade will feature a variety of activities for the whole family to enjoy. Sara is especially excited to announce three main activities for kids and their families:

Poster Station: Kids can get creative and design their own posters with eco-friendly messages to promote recycling and sustainability during the parade.

Cute Bunny Crafts Station: A fun crafting station where kids can make adorable bunny-themed crafts using recyclable materials.

The 3 “Rs” Rule Station: Learn about the 3 “Rs” of sustainability—reduce, reuse, recycle—and participate in interactive games and activities to reinforce these concepts.

Sara’s family and friends are supporting her to make this important event a reality; especially her 5-year-old sister, Sofia Cakici, who will be the leader of the Cute Bunny Crafts Station. 

Kids who participate in any of the activities will receive “tickets” that can be exchanged for prizes at the Spring Fair! We encourage everyone to mark their calendars for Saturday, May 18, 2024, and join us for a day of fun, learning, and community spirit at Lyon Park. More details about the event schedule and additional activities will be shared closer to the date.

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for making Lyon Park a greener, more sustainable community. We look forward to seeing you at the Spring Fair and the Recycling Parade!  In Sara’s own words: “please come to my event to make the world and Lyon Park a greener place!” 

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Let’s Make our Streets Safer for Walking and Biking!

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By Michael Doyle, founding member of NoVa Families for Safe Streets

Have you almost been hit by a car when walking or cycling?  

Now, you can report those “near misses” and help make your streets safer!  Visit the Near Miss Dashboard and report what, where, and when it happened.

Developed with support from Virginia Tech Graduate School of Urban & Regional Planning program plus a grant from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, NoVA Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS) is collecting, analyzing, and sharing the data with police and the relevant transportation jurisdictional staff to advocate for/help inform decisions to:

Improve road infrastructure,

Increase police vigilance at
specific locations,

Develop better traffic safety regulations, 

Strive to accomplish the Vision Zero goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax. 

“People experience too many close calls on our streets—times when they were nearly in a crash or saw dangerous conditions on our streets that could lead to crashes in the future. Collecting and sharing these experiences gives us an opportunity to identify dangerous street safety patterns before crashes occur and helps us to alert the relevant authorities so such dangerous conditions can be addressed,” according to Mike Doyle, founder of NoVa FSS.

Based on incident reports logged in the Upgraded Near Miss survey since it was launched on June 17, 2021, 54 percent of the incidents involve pedestrians  and 17 percent involve cyclists. Overwhelmingly, 57 percent of the reported incidents occur when drivers fail to yield to people in a crosswalk.  In addition, speeding and stop sign running contribute to nearly 50 percent of the reported NM incidents. Time of day is a significant factor as well, with over 50% of the incidents occurring during the afternoon rush hour and spiking between 5-6pm.  

NoVA FSS /Arl FSS Mission Statement  

Northern Virginia’s Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS) is the umbrella organization for an all-volunteer, nonprofit entity with three chapters in Alexandria (AFSS), Arlington (Arl FSS), and Fairfax (Ffx FSS). We have 1,500 members and we serve as a community voice to bring the municipalities of Alexandria City, Arlington County, and Fairfax County together to advocate for pedestrian and other vulnerable road users’ street safety for all.

To accomplish this, NoVA FSS:

Tells the impact stories of crash survivors and families who had a member killed by traffic violence,

Advocates for Traffic Regulation policy changes related to infrastructure, traffic laws, and penalties, 

Raises public awareness of street safety risks via public outreach forums like Farmers’ Markets and Civic Association meetings,

Educates middle school students through in-person presentations about street safety programs in the
region’s schools,

Work cooperatively with the respective City and/or County police departments and transportation
staff to promote safe streets for all vulnerable road users, and

Displays, on a real time basis, NoVA FSS’s Near Miss Survey map of near misses & dangerous intersections reported by pedestrians and other road users to identify high risk crash locations (including where pedestrians have been killed or seriously injured per Virginia TREDS’s crash data).

To receive our communications about Arl FSS activities and advocacy efforts, simply sign up: FSS Home – Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets (novasafestreets.org).  We are also looking for volunteers to help the Arlington FSS Board advance its pedestrian/cyclist street safety programs—interested candidates are most welcome!

View the NoVA FSS presentation given at the March monthly meeting.

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Recap of the 2024 Chili Cookoff!

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By Gary Putnam

Well, it’s over for another year! After a very noisy finale, the debacle known as the 2024 Lyon Park Chili Cookoff went off about as feared on Sunday, March 3. The usual raucous and rowdy occasion was probably worse this year. The noise level was so high, it flushed birds from the nearby trees.  Some of that fright came because of the chili pots that neighbors from Ashton Heights and Lyon Park brought to this year’s Cookoff. It was a mixed bag as usual. Some were noteworthy because of unexpected excellence. Some were distinct because they weren’t really that bad and some were…well, as one of the three judges said, “smelled like a damp thrift store!”

Ranking was done by popular vote, notes added are from a veteran team of three chili heads who sampled every single chili—some, more than once when disagreements arose. Tums and Gas-X were generously provided by Paul Showalter who, of course, had to resort to bribes and furnish Tums for anyone to even try his chili. 

Hauling off top honors this year was Sebastian John (Pot # 4) with a very traditional red called “Southern Red”. One of the more serious chilis of the event, it was a standout with multi-layered flavors.

Second place (Pot #17)  was Laureen Daly’s “Silly Chili” which was a dark, “visually interesting” Venison-Chorizo deep red with a pronounced punch of heat.

Third place (Pot # 16) was Mark & Tricia Montgomery’s “Highland Street Classic” traditional style meat and beans with a ketchup-and-taco flavor…in a good way!

(Pot # 18) “Baby Got Chili” by David Morgan was the highest placing veggie chili. Corn, veggies, deep interesting red and sweet. Very notable, according to the judges.

(Pot # 1) “Pork Shoulder” by Dave Schutz, smooth finish, good meat taste. 

(Pot # 2) “Hel Has Fury” by Helen White, very creative, complex, sweet & tangy butternut squash with black beans.

(Pot # 3) “Good ole Fashion Chili” by Ann Reimers, a classic meat,” gluten free, no beans, low fodmap” can’t ask for much more than that!

(Pot # 5) “Reapers Roast” by Murray Jacobson, beef and veggie with a finishing kick.

(Pot # 6) “Eliza’s Famous Cincinnati Chili” by Matt and Eliza Hall. A sweet and smoky version of a famous chili with floral overtones.

(Pot # 7) “Nanna’s Best” by Ethan and Bess Zelle, judges: a mildly seasoned all-day-eating chili.

(Pot # 8) “Better Than Canned” by Paul Showalter. Barely.

(Pot # 9) “The Day After Tomorrow” by Ethan and Bess Zelle. A spicy red with a lingering tingle of heat that danced on the tongue.

(Pot # 10) “Deathbed Chili” by Amanda Hawkins, a spicy red aromatic . Said by the maker to be the one chili you would ask for as your last meal. This recipe is a legend in the mind of it’s maker.

(Pot # 11) “A Mother’s Love” by Gary Putnam. This bowl of red was so subtle that only a mother could love it. It was so underwhelming that it got only one vote (tieing for dead last). That single vote did not come from the maker. He wisely chose someone else’s! How would you feel to know that the world loves EVERYBODY elses more than yours?

(Pot # 12) “Uncontrolled Wildfire” by Elliott and Marlene Mandel. Sweet notes of caramel and lots of beans with an attitude.

(Pot # 13) “Papa’s Campfire Chili” by Dorothy Atewologun. Bison, jalapeños, onions and beans. What more do you need? A very good pot.

(Pot # 14) “Mama And Papa’s Chili” by Tom and Elizabeth Sheehy. Straightforward traditional bowl of well-balanced red. Safe for families.

(Pot # 15) “Drunken Chicken Chili” by John and Kim Franklin. Really sophisticated hints of smoke and cinnamon spiced chicken. The judges noted that most bowls of chili benefit from the proximity of beer and bourbon.

(Pot # 18) “Baby Got Chili” by David Morgan. A veggie chili which placed really high in the popular vote. The judges reluctantly praised it in spite of it being a spin-off from last year’s vegetarian winner. Judges admitted that it looked good and tasted good. Unexpectedly corny, red and sweet.

(Pot # 19) “One Hot Grandma” by Elizabeth Wray. Perfectly done meat, very spicy and aromatic served in an early electric warmer that must be over a half century old. It was so old that Alva Edison had carved his initials in it.

The chili credentials have been awarded for 2024 and so its time to fade back into our double-wides for another year and work on those or hopefully better recipes for next year’s cookoff. 

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