March 2018
Chili Cook-off Doubles the Impact for Local Children
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Backpack Buddies Chili Cook-off • Saturday , March 17 • 1 - 4 p . m . • Bohicket Marina
Sample the best chili on the Sea Islands while supporting the Backpack Buddies program . Longtime Kiawah Cares partner the Kiawah Women ' s Foundation ( KWF ) joins its counterpart on Seabrook Island for their fourth annual chili cook-off Saturday , March 17 from 1 - 4 p . m . at Bohicket Marina .
Backpack Buddies serves children at all five Sea Island public schools , which experience alarming levels of poverty . Kiawah and Seabrook property owners founded their respective programs five years ago after learning how many children are affected by food insecurity in the local area . KWF points out that " hunger lives five miles away ," a shocking reality in an increasingly affluent area . Backpack Buddies volunteers work to make local hunger a rarity . Bags of snacks and weekend food items allow students to focus on learning instead of hunger .
Both organizations are 100 % volunteer-operated . Each group shops , packs and delivers food bags every week to each school .
Hosted by Todd and Kathy Gerhart of The Ice Cream Boat and Bohicket Ship Store , this year ' s chili cook-off features 35 entrants . For just $ 10 , guests can sample all the chili offerings while enjoying music and supporting a great cause . Wine and beer will be available for purchase . Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Ice Cream Boat , or at the event .
Eleven local businesses have met the Gorski & Friends Challenge to match event and online donations up to $ 1,000 each , potentially doubling resources and the impact for over 400 local children .
2018 sponsors include :
• Coastal Getaways
• Dolphin Architects and Builders
• Island Transportation / Mike Gorski
• Kiawah Cares Foundation
• Kiawah Partners
• NV Realty Group
• Pam Harrington Exclusives
• Pelican Development
• Prime Cuts / Fipps and Sons Auto
• Timbers Resorts Kiawah
• Wells Fargo Bank
Spend your St . Patrick ' s Day at the Chili Cook-off and double your impact . Help make sure there ' s no home for hunger on the Sea Islands by attending the event or donating to support Backpack Buddies .
Can ' t make the event but want to help ? Just call Mike Gorski at 864-316-3894 and tell him your donation amount . He will provide the details for the different ways that you can donate .