LAKEFIELD -- Three Girl Scouts came up with their own chili recipe, and they touted it as a top-secret recipe at Sunday's Kids Against Hunger Chili Cook-Off in Lakefield.
The three girls, Hunter Klontz, Miranda Timko and Brenna Hatfield participated in Sunday's fund-raiser to earn a Bronze award for Girl Scouts.
"We had to make the recipe and serve it to people," Hatfield said. "This is our first year being here."
The girls were plenty talkative Sunday, but only one thing would get them to say what they put in their chili.
"Vote for us, and we'll tell you the top secret recipe," Klontz said as she filled a taste-tester's cup with chili.
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The Girl Scouts wanted their chili to be unique.
"We put things in that not everybody puts in chili, and we don't want them to know what's in it," Timko said.
During the second annual chili cook-off, taste testers could sample 13 different varieties of chili at the Immanuel Activity Center. Each person could vote for one favorite in each of the three categories, which included exotic, ambulance 9-1-1 and regular folks chili. A free-will donation was taken at the event.
"Anyone is welcome to be a chili chef," said co-chair Marless Cuperus. "We even have ice cream to cool down the burned out tongue."
The Kids Against Hunger group hopes to raise $10,000, so they can fill 100,000 bags of food on Sept. 29. The chili feed in the winter and a 5K walk-run during the summer are the two main fund-raisers for the group. Last year, the Lakefield group bagged 93,000 meals that went to the Gulf region to Hurricane Katrina victims. The food is sent all over the world depending on where there are the greatest needs.
Co-chair Carol Wilson was busy serving her Cowboy Chili and saying, "Real chili ain't got no beans in it, ma'am." Along with Wilson's chili, Gloria VanVoorst was serving Texas Caviar (bean dip on tortilla chips). VanVoorst used some of her father's belongings to decorate the serving area with items from the wild west. Several saddles, a camp fire and branding equipment were set up for people to see.
It was Wilson who heard about the Kids Against Hunger program from her brother in another town. This year will mark the third year Lakefield has bagged food for the organization.
"People have taken hold and supported it so well," Wilson said. "We are thankful for all of the support."
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Last year's ambulance 9-1-1 chili winner, Gina Malchow, competed once again this year, changing her recipe only slightly.
"Thanks to my grandparents for it. It has my grandpa's secret ingredient," Malchow said. "I'm not here to win or lose -- I'm here to help the fund-raiser."
There might have been a tie for the spiciest chili at Sunday's event between the Seven Pepper Chuckwagon Chili and the Arkansas Redneck Chili.
The Seven Pepper Chuckwagon Chili had seven pepper varieties, three types of meat and no beans.
"People have said it is pleasantly warm," Marlin Olson said.
Lynette Olson said she helped her husband make the Seven Pepper Chili, but she would not eat it.
"It's too hot for my taste," she said. "That's what he likes. It's his recipe."
