Pictured from left to right: People’s Choice Award – Ken Dompling and Joe Dinova from Blue Island Fire Department – Ken and Joe’s Pulled Pork Ethnic Category – Dennis (Max) Malloy from Riverdale Fire Department – Jambalaya to the Max Chili Category – Bob Hopper Sr. and son Bob Hopper Jr. from Lombard Fire Department – Smoke Showin Chili Poultry Category – Bob Hopper from Lombard Fire Department – Fireground White Chili Ribs Category – Steve Zook and Jim Leibach from Niles Fire Department – Tillerboy Ribs. (PHOTO SUPPLIED)
Winners of the Best Firehouse Chef Cook-off set things ablaze at the BIG Event
Sertoma Center, Inc. wishes to thank the twelve firefighters who came out to the BIG Event on Saturday, April 28th, 2012 at 115 Bourbon Street to help raise money and awareness for individuals with disabilities. “Without the firefighters, there wouldn’t be a BIG Event”, states Sertoma’s Director of Advancement and Communications, Amy Chmura. “They work tirelessly preparing dishes like chili, fajitas, ribs, jambalaya, meat balls, crab cakes and more for the more than 700 guests who attended BIG Event this year, helping Sertoma Centre exceed their fundraising goal by ten percent.” said Chmura.
Celebrity judges sampled every dish to determine the best Chili, Ribs, Poultry and Ethnic Dishes. BIG Event judges included: Mayor Patrick E. Kitching, of Alsip, Mayor Robert S. Straz, of Palos Heights, award winning columnist, Phil Kadner and reporter Casey Toner, both from SouthtownStar Newspaper.
Congratulations to the winners of the annual cook-off! Firefighter Bob Hopper of the Lombard Fire Department took home trophies for both the Best Chili with his Smoke Showin’ Chili and the Best Poultry for Fireground White Chili. Jim Leibach and Steve Zook of the Niles Fire Department won the Best Ribs category with their Tillerboy Ribs and Dennis (Max) Malloy from Riverdale Fire Department won the Best Ethnic category with his Jambalya to the Max. The People’s Choice award (new this year) was won by Ken Dompling and Joe Dinova from the Blue Island Fire Department for Ken and Joe’s Pulled Pork. All the 2012 winners received trophies and a gift basket.
Other chefs that participated this year were Chicago firefighters Karl Graff and Brad Batka, Lemont firefighter Fred Heller, Lombard firefighter Mark Sepe and Markham firefighter Charles Faulkner.
Sponsored by SouthtownStar Newspaper and the Aileen S. Andrew Foundation, the BIG Event was supported by local Sertoma clubs, many area businesses, family and friends. Sertoma would to thank each of them and the volunteers who helped make the event a BIG success. Proceeds from the event benefit the almost 700 individuals with disabilities served by Sertoma Centre, Inc.
For more information, call Amy Chmura, Director of Advancement and Communications at 708-730-6206 or go to www.sertomacentre.org. Sertoma Centre, Inc. is a nationally-accredited, not-for-profit agency that provides services to individuals with developmental, physical and emotional disabilities, and/or mental illness.
