The Rotary Club of San Marino held its annual Chili Cook-off on Thursday, Mar. 30 at noon in Fellowship Hall of San Marino Community Church.
Rotarians Mike Driebe, Russ Osmonson, Gilda Moshir, Eugene Sun, Kathleen Marangi and Maziar Yarahamdi prepared six chilies, which represented five countries plus the state of Texas.
Julie Campoy, owner of San Marino’s Julienne, San Marino Police Commander Aaron Blondè and San Marino Fire Chief Mario Rueda were the afternoon’s judges.
They awarded Mike Driebe, immediate past president of the club, the Judge’s Award. As is customary, Driebe was presented a $1,000 check, which he donated to a Ugandan classroom supported by San Marino Rotary Charities.
Kathleen Marangi’s chili won the popular vote.
San Marino Fire and Police Departments were not permitted to enter the chili cook-off this year due to their historic dominance of the event.
However, San Marino firefighters and police officers, including Police Chief John Incontro, were in attendance to enjoy chili and good company.
Attendees, of which there were approximately 65, also heard a humorous rendition of the history of chili by Twohey’s veteran waitress Iris Snyder and Rotarian Roberta Gundersen, according to Rotary Public Image Committee Chair William Payne.
Gundersen was one of a committee of Rotarians to organize the club’s annual cook-off. Barbara Bice, Ruth Mayeda, Terry Petrillo, Sue Spence, Lois Matthews and Jean Brady Brodhead were also members of the organizing committee.
