Wyandotte City Councilmember Rosemary Shuryan (right) and other volunteers serve up chili samples during Wyandotte’s fourth annual Chili Cookoff, held Feb. 2 at the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America Hall, a fundraiser for the Wyandotte Public Schools Scholarship Foundation.
Amanda Hankin of American Legion Post 447 volunteers during Wyandotte’s fourth annual Chili Cookoff, held Feb. 2 at the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America Hall, a fundraiser for the Wyandotte Public Schools Scholarship Foundation.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
WYANDOTTE – The city’s fourth annual chili cookoff, held at the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America Hall Feb. 2, offered mouth-watering tastes while benefiting the Wyandotte Public Schools Scholarship Foundation.
Wyandotte’s non-profit organizations send their best chili to the annual competition, where attendees vote on a People’s Choice winner, and a panel of judges select the first through third place prize winners.
This year the judges’ first place selection and People’s Choice award both went to Tim Jakobowski with the Marine Corps League and the Knights of Columbus.
Second place was awarded to Debbie Orman with the Polish League of American Veterans Post 74 and its auxiliary, while third place went to Kelly Terry of American Legion Post 447 and its auxiliary. All three were traditional chilis.
Other participating groups included American Legion Post 217 and its auxiliary, the Fraternal Order of Police, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1136 and its auxiliary, the Wyandotte Boat Club, and the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America.
Councilmember Kelly Stec, who initiated and spearheads the event, said that when she was first elected to the city council in 2021, she became aware that many of the local clubs were having a difficult time bouncing back from COVID-19, so representatives of the groups started meeting to share calendars with each other, and she noticed that many of the groups were hosting chili cookoffs.
Stec said someone suggested sending the winners of each group’s competition to a citywide contest, which launched the annual event.
“It’s been a really great way for all of the non-profits to come together and raise money for good causes around town,” she said.
The winners of the 2025 Wyandotte Chili Cookoff, held Feb. 2 at the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America Hall, are: first place and People’s Choice winner Tim Jakobowski (left), with the Marine Corps League/Knights of Columbus; second place winner Debbie Orman with the Polish League of American Veterans Post 74; and third place winner Kelly Terry of American Legion Post 447.
Stec said in the past three years the chili cookoff proceeds have been awarded as micro-grants to projects throughout the city.
Past recipients have included the Wilson Middle School Cooking Club, the Wyandotte Soup Kitchen, and the Fraternal Order of Police, whose building needed some capital improvements.
“We’ve been able to spread the money out a lot, but this year we are donating all of our proceeds to the Wyandotte Public Schools Scholarship Foundation, which has given just under $2 million out to students in the last 30 or so years, and we are hoping to help them sustain their funds in the years to come,” she said.
Stec said 17 chilis were entered in this year’s competition by nine groups, and she looks forward to the annual event.
“I love to cook, so I like to see what other people are up to, what kind of spices they’re using, how they are innovating chili,” she said.
Stec encourages people to support their local non-profits.
“They really need your help, every single one of them has a mission and whatever you care about there is a local club that cares about that same thing and can bring you together with like-minded folks that want to do good for their home town,” she said.
Attendees sample chili during Wyandotte’s fourth annual Chili Cookoff, held Feb. 2 at the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America Hall, a fundraiser for the Wyandotte Public Schools Scholarship Foundation.
Amanda Hankin of American Legion Post 447, whose group served up last year’s winning chili — a medium chili with secret spices — said they had two new entrants this year (one of which would later take third place).
She said she loves seeing the community come together for events like the chili cookoff.
“I love that we are giving back to the city of Wyandotte,” she said.
City Councilmember Rosemary Shuryan, who was serving chili samples to attendees, said she was glad the event was benefiting a good cause.
Despite being a vegetarian, she said she doesn’t mind serving up the meaty chili, and she usually finds a vegetarian chili entrée to enjoy later.
Attendee Aaron Lawn of Wyandotte, who cooks chili frequently at home and who attends the cookoff every year, said he really liked the chicken chili entry.
In addition to the entrance fee, raffle prizes were offered to supplement the fundraiser proceeds.
Above and below, attendees sample chili during Wyandotte’s fourth annual Chili Cookoff, held Feb. 2 at the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America Hall, a fundraiser for the Wyandotte Public Schools Scholarship Foundation.
Attendees queue up for chili samples during Wyandotte’s fourth annual Chili Cookoff, held Feb. 2 at the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America Hall, a fundraiser for the Wyandotte Public Schools Scholarship Foundation.
Volunteers serve up chili samples during Wyandotte’s fourth annual Chili Cookoff, held Feb. 2 at the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America Hall, a fundraiser for the Wyandotte Public Schools Scholarship Foundation.