What's a Yoot?

Sunday night is our annual Chili Cookoff and Dessert Auction to raise money for the youth program. Much of the proceeds will go toward the big Challenge trip that comes every two years, but a portion of the funds are also used for outreach activities throughout the year. There was a time when the youth were continually in fundraising mode, which just wore everyone out. This one big annual event is much more fun and usually raises enough to fund all that the youth need. (The funds also cover the costs for the adults who will be overseeing the trip to Challenge, including yours truly this year.)

The Chili Cookoff is simple enough - everyone is encouraged to make a pot of chili. Bowls are set in front of each entry, and you "vote" for your favorites by putting money in the bowls by the chilis you like. Ryan (and Kathy) Rasmussen are the reigning champs two years running. Perhaps you saw Ryan toting around the trophy on Sunday on his wheelchair taking on all challengers! Last year, I had more fun just eating different kinds of chili than worrying about which ones I liked best. (You'll note that I've used the plural throughout this paragraph - I want you to have several favorites so that you'll "vote" for several different entries. Here's one case where you are encouraged to vote more than once!)

The Dessert Auction comes after dinner. Again, everyone is encourage to enter a dessert. The youth help out by presenting each entry, and the auctioning begins. I've got my sights on the rhubarb pie. I also learned that if some people don't win the dessert they want, they have no shame in coming over to the winner and trying to bum a taste. I won't mention Christy by name, because that might be inappropriate. :-)

Please plan on joining us. We have a professional auctioneer in our midst (thanks again, Gregg!) which adds to the fun. We joke about some of the desserts going for a walloping price, but please don't let that intimidate you.  There are a few desserts that skyrocket just for the fun of the event, but most end up on this side of reasonable. Plus, the chili contest is always a way to help out without having to get into a bidding war. The main thing is for us to come together as a church family, have some fun, and find a way to ship our youth away for a whole week!

Thanks to the entire crew who will be pulling this together. It's a lot of work, but seeing our youth impacted by Challenge and by getting out of their comfort zones to help others in our community are both certainly worth the sacrifice of eating all that chili and dessert. Ministry is hard.