A Chili Reception

Wendy’s Chili Open returns for the benefit of children’s charities

By Gail Martineau

The Westerville Sunrise Rotary is hoping the community shows up in droves for this year’s Wendy’s Chili Open.

The annual fundraiser for central Ohio children’s charities, organized by the local Sunrise Rotary, is slated for Feb. 4 at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. It will run from noon to 5 p.m.

This will be the third year the Open has been held at the zoo, having moved from the Anheuser Busch headquarters on Schrock Road in 2010. It was a good move, says event chairman Pat Kemmer: Revenues increased by 22 percent in 2010 and by 24 percent in 2011.

“Even though we had 14 inches of snow on the day of the event (in 2010), over 2,000 people attended,” Kemmer says.

Last year was even better. More than 2,500 people attended and more than $200,000 was raised through individual and corporate sponsors, donations, live and silent auctions, and ticket sales.

The Rotary hopes to realize than $250,000 from this year’s event, which will be the 16th annual, Kemmer says.

“As a service organization, the ability of our club to serve the community is directly related to how much money we can raise, and this event has allowed our club to do many great things and support several deserving causes,” says Kemmer. “As our largest fundraiser and signature event, the Chili Open is also one of the largest one-day Rotary Club-sponsored fundraising events in the country.”

Beneficiaries of this year’s Open will include Children’s Hunger Alliance, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Flying Horse Farms, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, the Special Care Nursery at Mount Carmel St. Ann’s, Ohio Troopers Caring Inc. and the Westerville Area Resource Ministry. Charities are chosen each year by the Rotary foundation’s board of directors.

Kemmer’s favorite part of the Chili Open, he says, is the celebration breakfast, at which checks are handed to the charities.

“I enjoy attending, because I know that the efforts of hundreds of volunteers come to fruition in an event that is now a signa- ture charity fundraiser in central Ohio,” he says. “It is very rewarding to see all the people having such a good time in the middle of winter in an environment where there is something for everyone attending to enjoy.”

This year’s Open will look a lot like previous years’, but Kemmer hopes to see attendance grow even further.

“We are expanding the areas of the event to handle larger volumes of attendees and positioning the event for significant future growth in future years,” he says.

Tickets cost $25 in advance online at www.wendyschiliopen.com and $30 at the gate the day of the event. Children 12 and under are free.

Tickets include admission to the zoo, all-you-can eat food, drinks, promotional items and entertainment by local cover band the Debits. A silent auction and raffles will also be part of the day’s fun.

Though a casual observer might be tempted to think Wendy’s chili is the only highlight of the food menu, such an impression would not do the event

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium justice; a sizable variety of restaurants contribute to the day’s dining. Providing the snacks will be Wendy’s, Bel-Lago Waterfront Bistro, Nicole’s Catering, the Old Bag of Nails, City Barbeque, the Spaghetti Warehouse, CaJohn’s Flavor and Fire, and many more.

Director Emeritus Jack Hanna serves as honorary chairman of the Chili Open.

Back again this year is the Children’s Open, which will feature live animals, a bounce house, pizza, crafts, miniature golf, Wii games and more.

Jack Hanna will return as honorary chairman of the Chili Open.

Gail Martineau is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroupltd.com.

Wendy’s Chili Open

Feb. 4, 2012

12 p.m. - 5 p.m.