Chili cook-off grosses over $40K

In its 17th year, thousands again turned out in downtown Kilgore for the East Texas Oilman’s Chili Cook-Off, held Thursday.

Bob Davis Jr., owner of Bob Davis Sales Inc. and chairman of the cook-off, announced the results for not only the best chili, but the People’s Choice awards and more, and most turned out to hail from Kilgore.

Davis said in the overall category, first place was awarded to P&W Sales of Kilgore. Head cooks were Mike Maxwell, Jamie Ware and Brandon Noah.

Second place went to Enviropave Co. of Kilgore, with head cook Bob Baker. Third place went to JW Power of Longview, led by head cook Jason Harrison.

S&K Supply of Kilgore, with head cook Jason Barrett, won fourth place. Fifth place went to Smith Services of Kilgore and the head cook was Steve Morris.

In the People’s Choice Award category, Kilgore companies swept up all three honors. Davis said first place was awarded to Geonix Oilfield Supply/Wooley Tool Co.; second place went to American Supply; and third place was awarded to National Oilwell Varco.

Kilgore companies also walked away with all of the Best of Show awards. First place went to General Dynamics, followed by National Oilwell Varco in second and Streamflo Wellhead in third place. Davis said a Special Mention was given this year to United Machine Shop, also in Kilgore.

The annual fundraiser is for the Kilgore Crisis Center. Eugene Davis, director, said this year’s cook-off grossed more than $40,000.

“Not all the figures are in yet,” said Davis. “We probably won’t have the exact number for at least a week.”

He said T-shirt sales were good but there are still plenty of shirts available and if anybody wants to purchase one they can do so by coming by the Crisis Center located at 905 Broadway St. and pick one up for only $15.

Davis said he is especially thankful to Misti Scudday with the Crisis Center, the person who handled almost everything from correspondence to T-shirts to wristbands and more.

“She was a big part of the success of the chili cook-off,” said Davis. “All of the staff at the Crisis Center contributed a great deal of time and energy also.”

Bob Davis, who has spearheaded the cook-off since its inception, said other dedicated oil and gas industry folks who helped out include co-chairmen Eric Terkelson from Stewart and Stevenson and Jake Benton from Liberty Pressure Pumping, who have both been active for the past six years.

Cook-off committee members who have dedicated years to making this fundraiser a success include: Sheryl Caraway, National Oilwell Varco, 15 years; Theresa Hearn, National Oilwell Varco, 15 years; Sherry Miller-Baker, Petrolite, six years; and Allie Koehn, Sentry International, one year.

“The judging committee is also very important and I want to thank each of them. The committee was headed by chairman Leo Lowery from Flint Energy Services, who has worked with the cookoff for 17 years,” Davis said.

The Perimeter Fencing Committee includes Robert Knox from Stewart and Stevenson and Byron Rettig from Flint Energy Services, who have done the job for the past two years with the help of other Flint employees, said Davis.

The Lighting Sponsor is Falcon Resources, which has volunteered for the job for the past five years, Davis said.

“I want to give a special thanks to the City of Kilgore and the street crew who spend hours setting up the streets for us and then when all is done, cleaning everything up,” said Davis.