By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Friday night and Saturday morning’s chilly rain may have dampened enthusiasm for the fifth annual open class car show at Marion County Park and Lake, but it only made chili-lovers want their chili all the more.

Six vehicles lined the driveway for the car show, compared to 30 last year.

A large crowd of people eager to sample the best chili at the annual chili cook-off were not the least put off by the cold and drizzly weather as they milled from table to table inside the lake hall.

Salina resident Mike Crane and Goddard residents Bob and Beverly McCurdy, who own trailers at the lake, were stirring up chili as they have done for all 12 years of the chili cook-off.

“We’re the only two of the original chili cooks,” Crane said between chili samplers coming to get a ladle of the concoction to taste. “It’s a good opportunity for a fundraiser for the lake.”

“It’s hard to tell which is the best one,” El Dorado resident Nathan George said. “They’re all good.”

Last year’s champion chili cooks, Gary Clark of Moundridge and Sam Tipton of Williamsburg, squared off against their wives, Annie Clark and Donna Tipton, for a second consecutive year.

Kerri Moore, competing for the first time, won first place at this year’s chili cook-off. The McCurdys won second place, and Trini Finley and Jesse Howard won third.

Sales were robust for Marion County Lake Chat ‘n’ Dine Club’s tantalizing array of baked goods and snacks to raise money for installation of streetlights at the lake.

“People have really responded,” club member Donna Kaiser said. “I think it’s because we have a specific project.”

Visitors stopped by the bake sale simply to make donations for the cause. All together the Chat ‘n’ Dine Club raised $528.

New playground equipment is the plan of Marion Advancement Campaign, which had a donation bucket with drawings of the style of playground equipment the group envisions replacing the old equipment at the lake.

A cornhole pitching tournament raised $550 to benefit the park and lake.