Published: November 05, 2009 07:50 pm      

Tasty fundraiser awaits

Tantalize your taste buds this Saturday because the Gumbo and Chili Festival is back.

St. Therese Catholic Church will hold the fundraiser event for the first time in several years. The event is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, at Joe Ware Plaza, 319 W. Park Ave. in Orange.

Advance tickets are available from the church by calling 409-883-3783. Tickets are $5 each per bowl, but tickets are not required to purchase items on the day of the event. The public is invited to attend.

“We always try to do something different each year for a fundraiser,” said Father Anselm Eke of St. Therese Catholic Church. “It’s been about three years since we last had the gumbo and chili festival. We do several things, like the ‘Around the World Buffet,’ which we plan on bringing back for next year.”

Eke said the reason the church alternates events instead of hosting the same fundraiser year after year is to keep it fresh and interesting for the community.

“We want people to be excited,” Eke added. “And they always want something new or different, and this year’s event should be different. We will have at least 10 stations serving a variety of gumbo and chili, and there should be some wild ones too. Some of the cooks have mentioned a variety of interesting ingredients.”

If the current weather pattern holds for the weekend, Eke believes the weather will be perfect for those who enjoy this type of food.

Eke said the purpose of the Gumbo and Chili Festival is to help raise funds for the church and whatever needs it has.

“There are still several items we need for the church,” Eke explained. “But we also want to build a parking lot by the side of the church. As it is now we have to walk across the street, so that is something we want to do.”

Call St. Therese Catholic Church at 409-883-3783 for details.



Tommy Mann Jr. is a reporter for The Orange Leader. He can be reached at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2619 or tmann@orangeleader.com