In their final monthly community dinner of 2023, members of the Escalon American Legion Gustafson-Thompson Post turned it in to a competition.
The Saturday night, Oct. 21 gathering featured a chili cook off, with community members breaking out the crock pots and stirring up their most flavorful entries. A panel of three judges was brought in to taste test the nine chilis entered into the competition.
Selected as the winner was the ‘medium beef chili’ presented by Jean Tavares, while second place went to Dee Ann Blowers and her ‘smoky house chili’ and third place was the turkey-based ‘white mild chili’ entry by Rosita Richway.
The dinners, hosted several times during the year, are a way for the Legion Post members to thank the community for their support at various events and activities sponsored by the post. The October event is the final community dinner, as the Post is involved with Veterans Dy activities in November and has a special holiday dinner in December for Post members and their families.
The community dinners are expected to resume in January – typically offered on the third Saturday of the month at the Post rooms on Second Street – and would be the traditional winter ‘Soups and Stews’ night.
While there is no charge to attend, the Post does accept donations for the monthly dinners.
Also, plans are well underway for the upcoming Saturday, Nov. 11 Veterans Day ceremonies in town.
The annual Veterans Day activities will include a parade downtown, lining up on Coley Avenue and continuing on to First Street and then turning on to Main Street, starting at 10:30 a.m.
With a brief stop for a flag ceremony, a moment of silence and the playing of Taps at the Main Street Park caboose during the parade, attendees will be excused following the completion of the parade to the Escalon Community Center. There, at the corner of Escalon-Bellota and Arthur roads, a Memorial Ceremony will be staged at the Veterans Memorial Wall, with music, guest speakers and more.
Following the ceremony, those attending can also sit down for a chicken or ribs barbecue lunch. Tickets are $12 and you can eat in at the Community Center or take it to go; pre-sale tickets are available and lunch tickets will also be available at the door.
Lunch runs from noon to 3 p.m.; for tickets, call Post member Al Bellinger at 209-838-3388. Parade Coordinator is Vince Giovaniello; he can be reached at 209-604-9100 for more information. Entries are being accepted now for the parade and sign-ups are requested by Tuesday, Nov. 7.
