Matthew Burnette, Staff Writer

Whether you have a chili recipe that you are particularly proud of or just enjoy sampling other people’s interpretations on the fall staple, Gabriel Buys Houses is hosting an event that may be right up your alley.

On November 8, the Manchester-based real estate service is partnering with Harvest Local Foods to host their first chili cook-off. The cost of entering a chili into the cook-off is $25 and admission for trying all the chilis or an “all you can eat” option is $10.

Gabriel Walkup, the Gabriel in Gabriel Buys Houses, says that he and his wife Kenzie were trying to come up with ideas for a community event that could simultaneously give back to the community.

“We have the ability to give back, so that’s where my wife and I are at right now,” he explained. “Knowing that we can give back and that we’re surrounded by a great community that are willing to help give back as well.”

The two brainstormed on an idea for an event that Walkup describes as “kind of a party with a purpose” as well as an organization that they could donate the proceeds to.

They then connected with Ellen Briggs of Harvest Local Foods about hosting the event there and local nonprofits that could benefit from the cook-off before landing on the Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center.

“We were trying to think of somebody to donate to, and Ellen was a big fan of the CAC, so we went over and met with them, and that’s how we decided to donate everything to them,” said Walkup.

Briggs explained that the couple approached her with the idea and then it grew from there.

“They kind of wanted to get more involved in the community, and they asked if I would be cool hosting the chili cook-off this fall and I was like sure, and then we decided, better yet, that we could make it a fundraiser for the Children’s Advocacy Center,” she recalled. “Then we found out that they had lost some of their funding so even a better reason to raise some money for them.”

The CAC is one of a few local organizations that Briggs says that Harvest contributes to with donations. She noted that she felt it was important to help one of Manchester’s more vulnerable populations.

“The children in our community need all the help that they can get, the ones who are without and maybe going through the court system and some really rough times,” explained Briggs. “A lot of our kids have got it made and we’ve got it made and sometimes we don’t think about the other side.”

Walkup emphasized that, while the CAC does important and serious work, the event is meant to be a fun time for the community. There will be craft beer on tap and he’s working to get some live music to play.

He also noted that he and his wife wanted to give back to a community that’s given a lot to them.

“We’ve only been in Manchester for four years, but we’re very blessed to be in the position we are, and the town has just really accepted us,” he said. “There’s so many good people in Manchester, and sometimes you don’t realize, or maybe you forget, that there’s people that are in way worse positions than you are.”

For more information or to register for the chili cook-off visit the Gabriel Buys Houses Facebook page.