by SC Reporter Reanna Haase
The winner of the inaugural Lee County Chili Challenge, Sanibel Fire and Rescue District, returned to the 3rd annual contest to see if they could win back the title.
Eleven teams gathered earlier this month at Stu’s Motorcycles in Fort Myers to begin making their chili so it could be entered into the contest. Arian Moore, the firefighter behind the recipe entered by Sanibel Fire and Rescue District, said they had been working to perfect the recipe to win back the title from the Fort Myers Fire Department.
Although the Fort Myers Fire Department ended up maintaining the title, Moore said their chili was a big hit.
“We did well,” he said. “Everyone seemed to like ours. We had a lot of people coming back and asking for seconds.”
Moore added he wanted to continue working to win back the title because their name is on the top of the trophy since they won the first contest ever held. The district works together all year to make sure their recipe is the best it can be to enter the contest.
“When it gets cold outside, we make it a couple of times and… everybody tries it, puts their input in and we change it up,” Moore said. “We have already spit balled a little bit and have a good idea of what we are going to do 51 weeks from now.”
Not only does this contest give the districts a chance to win the title of the best chili, but the proceeds also go to various charities including Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Injured Warriors Fund of Florida and Collier-Lee Honor Flight. These organizations work to honor fallen soldiers and firefighters, and this contest is a way to spread awareness.