The Spicy Bean Barbie Queens, from left, Cindy Dodson, May Fuze and Suzanne Kilgore won the Spirit Award. [ David Adlerstein | The Star ]
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Hitting these pots: Junior Service League chili cookoff draws crowd

ByDavid Adlerstein
Members of the White Hot Chili Peppers team from Centennial Bank celebrate their victory Saturday afternoon from among the 19 teams that competed in the Junior Service League of Port St. Joe’s annual chili cookoff. [ David Adlerstein | The Star ]

A host of community programs in and around Port St. Joe, such as the Prom Project, the Women’s Diagnostic Center, the Washington Gym summer program and 4-H grants, will be the beneficiaries of thousands of dollars of funds raised last Saturday at the Junior Service League of Port St. Joe’s 14th annual chili cookoff.

“It was an amazing turnout, we were really pleased,” said Lianna Sagins, president of the all-volunteer Junior Service League, which was formed in 1996 and now has about 22 members.

The second place chili cookoff team Ascension Sacred Heart Volunteer Guild team included, from left: Leisa Pickett, Susan Magidson, Jenny Galloway and Kristan De La Rosa. Not pictured is Michelle Chiles. [ David Adlerstein | The Star ]

The six judges who weighed each of the entries from the 19 teams decided that the White Hot Chili Peppers from Centennial Bank made the best chili, followed by the Ascension Sacred Heart Volunteer Guild as runner-up. The QZ Chili, whipped up by Sarah Quaranta and Ryan Zipperly, finished third.

Finishing in third place was the QZ Chili team of Sarah Quaranta, left, and Ryan Zipperly. [ David Adlerstein | The Star ]

Dressed in bright pink tutus, the Spicy Bean Barbie Queens were the runaway winners for Team Spirit. People’s Choice went to the Farmaseaers.

Accompanying the cook-off was a car show, and taking the top prize was a 1972 Chevy C10 owned by Jim Sherman, with runner-up honors going to a 1951 Ford F1 owned by Mark Land, and third place to a 1993 Volvo owned by Lowell Wilson.

The Car Show’s winning trophy went to Jim Sherman for his 1972 Chevy C10, and was presented by Port St. Joe senior Isabella Cannington, who plays flute in the Band of Gold Marching Band, which received the monies from the show. [ David Adlerstein | The Star ]

The Sponsor’s Choice award went to a 1968 Chevy Camaro owned by Jimmy Zinker. The People’s Choice was a 1917 Ford T, owned by Douglas Hough.

Cathy Andrews pocketed $160 for being the winner of the 50/50 raffle.

Last year the Junior Service League disbursed over $57,000 into the community, with contributions to projects that included the Women’s Diagnostic Center, 4-H grants, a shopping trip for kids, the Port St. Joe High School art trip, the Prom Project, the Washington Gym summer program, jam packs, and various other scholarships and sponsorships.

Port St. Joe High School senior Chloe Davis is among the members of the Junior Service League of Port St. Joe [ David Adlerstein | The Star ]

Meet the Editor

David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.

Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.

In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.

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