It was a good day. A lot of chili was served, a lot of Harley Davidsons were on display and a lot of fun was had. Oh, and $2,100 was raised for the Tri-City Volunteer Fire Department.
By Jon Doher
It was a good day. A lot of chili was served, a lot of Harley Davidsons were on display and a lot of fun was had. Oh, and $2,100 was raised for the Tri-City Volunteer Fire Department.
On March 25, a chili cook-off was held to benefit Tri-City at Cumberland Community Center. The event was hosted by the Arbuckle Chapter of Seventh Sin Motorcycle Club, with various groups around the area taking part.
Organizers said they were pleased with not only the money raised, but also the attendance of the event, which featured an estimated 100 participants.
"It went really well," said area resident Fran Gambel, who helped to organize the event. "We raised more than we expected, and we hope to keep that going."
Due to the success of the event, members voted to continue the chili cook-off in future years.
The funds came from not only entry fees for the chili competition, but also a pie and cake auction, as well as selling chances to win various items.
Tri-City is a long-standing department that serves the areas of Bridgeview, Cumberland/Cumberland Cove and Little City in fire suppression, as well as being first responders and general community servants. As the name implies, all its members are unpaid personnel who serve due to their sense of civic pride and duty.
Seventh Sin is a fast-growing motorcycle association with chapters popping up across the country. With road names like "Shrapnel," "Devil Dog," "Ninja" and "Sonar" (his wife's handle is "Ping," in case you were wondering) and featuring lots of black leather, beards and shiny Harley Davidsons, the group evokes images of '60s and '70s biker gangs.
However, that's where the similarities end. The club is a law-abiding lot that focuses on community service, working to change the image many have of biker groups. Much of its membership comes from former military personnel and law enforcement officers.
According to information released by the organization, "Seventh Sin MC is a 501(c)3 corporation organized to nurture a spirit of family among members of law enforcement and military veteran communities."
Other groups contributing to the success of the event included Circuit Riders, a Christian club of Murray County and Brothers of Service, a first responder organization of Cooke County, Texas.