– Julie Lawlor is the Executive Director at the WestShore Chamber of Commerce. You can reach her at jlawlor@westshore.bc.ca.
WEST SHORE – On September 30th, the Rotary Club of WestShore and the WestShore Chamber of Commerce are partnering to bring you the 13th Annual Chili Cook-Off and WestShore Showcase.
Enhanced and expanded for 2017, this event will feature the vibrant West Shore community through its exhibitor booths, generous sponsors, silent auction donations, entertainment, and last but not least the 10-12 chili teams serving up samples of their chili and competing for your vote on the People’s Choice Award.
While the WestShore Chamber supported the 2016 Chili Cook-Off, the 2017 partnership with the Rotary Club is an example of an idea whose time had come.
The Chamber team felt there was a gap in the West Shore for a trade show, expo or the like at the same time that the Rotary team was considering an indoor location, a September date, and an expanded footprint for the Chili Cook-Off. As we are reciprocal members of each other’s organization, we had the opportunity to talk back and forth until we came up with a model that we felt would work for everyone.
Like Chambers, Rotary Clubs are non-profit, membership-driven organizations. What I have particularly appreciated about working with the Rotary Club of WestShore is the energy, enthusiasm, good humour and commitment of its members.
They log countless volunteer hours and raise thousands upon thousands of dollars for non-profits both locally and globally. For our part, the WestShore Chamber has been able to contribute our experience with event sponsorship as well as our network of contacts and our communications channels to the partnership.
If you’re interested in attending this family-friendly event, it will take place at Eagle Ridge Centre at City Centre Park from 10 am-5 pm, with Chili Tasting taking place from 11 am-2 pm. The entry fee is $5 per person, and free after the Tastings end at 2 pm.
If you’re interested in getting involved in the Chili Cook-Off and WestShore Showcase, the Chili Teams and Gold and Silver Sponsor opportunities have all sold out. We still have space both for silent auction items and for booth registrants.
Exhibitors so far are as diverse as the West Shore itself, including the Cities of both Colwood and Langford, North of Hadrian’s Kilts and Celtic Clothing and the Greater Victoria Public Library (West Shore branches.)
For more information, please call the WestShore Chamber office at 250.478.1130.
