The Elizabethton Kiwanis Club has the perfect compliment to chilly weather scheduled for this weekend.
The organization is no stranger to assisting the community, and the idea of hosting a benefit for children of Carter County came together with relative ease, according to Kiwanis Club President David LeVeau.
“Tim Broyles has been spearheading the event,” LeVeau said. “We’re hosting a chili dinner on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 4 to 7 p.m. and the funds raised from the dinner will go to organizations that help with children in the community.” The organizations helps with various organizations within the county like the Carter County head start program and Boys & Girls Club, just to name a few.
Saturday’s event will be held inside First Christian Church’s fellowship hall. The dinner will offer chili, with “all the fixings”, according to Broyles, along with different refreshments. The cost for the event is set at $5.
“We just finished our pancake breakfast earlier this month,” Broyles said. “There are just so many needs in the community. I was sitting around with a couple of months and the idea came up to have a chili dinner.
“We hold a breakfast at our church on Saturdays and I cook for it. So Saturday, I’ll go from that to help cooking chili,” Broyes continued with a chuckle. “We’re excited about this event.”
Another perk of the event is being held in conjunction with the annual Christmas Parade in downtown Elizabethton.
“We’re hoping to make this an annual event,” Broyles said. “People can come in and grab a to-go cup of chili and take it with them to watch the parade. We’ll also have hot chocolate, lemonade, coffee, too, that people can take with them.”
While excitement is brewing within the club for the event, LeVeau added that it’s the Kiwanis Club goal to be involved to help the youth of the county. There are Kiwanis Key Clubs at Elizabethton and Unaka high schools and K-Kid groups at East Side, West Side and Harold McCormick.
“That’s our desire … we want to help the children,” LeVeau said.
The club recently wrapped up their 54th annual pancake breakfast with high marks, too.
“I haven’t received a final total from the breakfast, but we had a lot of support,” LeVeau said. “With an event like that, going over 50 years, it’s well-known and seems to be popular. That’s what we’re hoping to see out of Saturday’s event. We’re hoping to continue it each year during the Christmas parade.”
Another fundraiser underway by the club is selling of Christmas ornaments. Broyles added that ornaments will be available at the dinner for $7 and added that individuals can contact a club member to purchase an item, as well. Funds raised from the ornaments will also go toward the club’s community projects.