Max Duffy, second from left, will be in Danville Saturday as a celebrity judge for the Charity Chili Cook-Off. He had UK defensive coordinator Brad White, second from right, as his guest on the "Pin It Deep" podcast this week.
The Kiwanis Club fifth annual Charity Chili Cook-Off will Saturday at Wilderness Trail Distillery and not only can you sample some delicious chili while contributing to a worthwhile charity, but you can also mingle with former Kentucky all-American punter Max Duffy.
The event starts at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 2 — well before Kentucky football hosts Northern Illinois Saturday night at 7.
There will also be music by DJ Reece, children’s activities, drinks and treats. There will be a horse and wagon ride, giveaways from the Boyle County Library bookmobile and face painting — sure Max will want to try this. For those who might not like chili, the Danville High School girls basketball team will offer a hotdog kids meal.
A $10 tasting ticket includes visits to the booths of 25 cooks and each ticket holder will pick his or her favorite chili along with the judges.
This will be my third time getting to judge and also on the judging panel will be Norton Center for the Arts Director Steve Hoffman, Danville-Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Kendall Clinton, and longtime WHIR radio personality Charlie Perry.
But the star of the panel that will pick the top three chilis will be Duffy. I am confident he did not see anything quite like this growing up in Australia and this will be his first time as a chili judge.
Duffy currently has a popular “Pin It Deep” podcast and is also part of the Kentucky Sports Radio on-air staff and likely will be on the KSR UK pregame show Saturday. Duffy also continues to work out chasing his dream of playing professional football.
Proceeds benefit the Danville Kiwanis Club whose mission is to pursue creative ways to serve the needs of children throughout the community. The Kiwanis also serve Boyle County’s senior citizens.
Money raised will help Kiwanis with year-round projects such as back-to-school supplies, and gifts of new clothing, coats, shoes and small toys for children during the holidays. They also treat several local senior citizens with a luncheon and small gifts during the holidays. Individuals supported by the Kiwanis during this time are not served by any other groups.
Many of Wilderness Trail Distillery’s business partners and Kiwanis’ supporters are sponsoring this event to spread some much-needed joy during the holiday season and throughout the year. Visit www.wildernesstrailky.com to view a sponsor list.
Tasting tickets are available at the door. Winners will be announced at 2:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Emily Toadvine at emily@wildernesstrailky.com or 859-402- 8707.
And feel free to reach out to Duffy on Twitter at @Max_Duffy to let him know any tips you might have for being a chili judge.
