July 2002 Web Page WWW.Chili.Org Volume 15 Issue 7 CASI Awards Scholarships New Library Dedicated The new Big Bend Library was packed to its maximum capacity for the dedication of the new facility and graduation exercises for an all-female class of 2002. Many friends and supporters were present to help celebrate the occasion. The Reverend Judith Burgess, president of the Big Bend Education Corporation, credited various individuals and organizations that helped fund the building of the library. The guest speaker for the event was the Honorable Judge Val Beard, the first female attorney and judge in Brewster County. She delivered an inspiring speech to the graduates. Scholarships were presented by Andrea Odom, counselor, Tom Williams, Vice-President of the TCSD Board of Trustees, Hut Brown, CASI Scholarship Chairman, and Lanetta Barnes-Tinney. The valedictorian of the Class of 2002 is Miranda Garcia. She received the CASI Valedictorian Scholarship and the Joee Barnes Memorial Scholarship. Miranda will be studying pre-med, attending Midland Parker's Crossroads (Page 6) College for her basic coursework. Ananda Morlock is the salutatorian of her graduating class. She received a CASI/Local Business Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 and the Big Bend Telephone Company Scholarship for $1,000 for four years. Ananda will be studying communications and theatre at Sul Ross State University. Other recipients of the $1,000 CASI/Local Business Scholarships were Nichole Wells, Olivia Solis and Margarita Garcia. Natalay Jurado received a Joee Barnes Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $1,000. Nichole, Olivia, Margarita and Nataly will all be attending Midland College in the fall. They plan to have medical careers, studying sonography, nursing, EMT, and radiography. 86% of the graduating class will be attending college this fall! CASI friends, THANK YOU! Your support of our children makes a difference. The scholarship program helps our graduates so much. November will be here soon. Please make plans to come by to visit our new library facility. We look forward to seeing you. Until then…Adios. Kathy Killingsworth CASI Hot Line Chili Appreciation Society International Inc. PRESORTED 2 Green Cedar Road STANDARD Boerne, Texas 78006-7929 888-CASIHOT US Postage Paid Kerrville, Texas If you have a cookoff coming up in the month of Permit No. 28 September your cookoff information must be in the hands of the CASI Executive Director by July 15th to meet the 30 day cookoff advertis- ing requirement. Page 2 Terlingua Trails July 2002 President's On Site Message This is a very difficult article to write. Since the August On Site article will contain additional The upcoming Great Peppers’ Meeting is just around the corner. information on the upcoming Great Peppers’ I know the folks in Arizona are working hard to make this year’s event Meeting, I will take this opportunity to say thank a great success; I hope to see many of our members attending and making you. their plans early. In two months, I will surrender the position of There will be much occurring during this meeting. I’m sure someone out there wants to rewrite Executive Director of one of the best organizations in the world. It has been a the rule book, now that it has been a few years since we addressed this issue. There will also be great four years. Accomplishments on the part of CASI members have been openings on the Board of Directors that will be filled during this meeting. CASI needs some good many. Tears of sadness have been shed as friends and loved ones were lost, and dedicated, capable, and ready to work members to replace those who have served so well for many tears of happiness have been shed as new faces came among us. Many smiles years and are not seeking re-election. I hope there will be a good number of candidates running for have been shared as new cooks win their first first-place points. Miles have the Board. been logged in furtherance of CASI’s efforts, and I still believe CASI Can! Thank you, my friends, for making all this possible. We are also looking for members who would be willing to support some of the Board members by doing some of the work required by the position on the Board. If you are willing and would like In two short months, your Great Peppers will elect a new Executive to know more about helping, please contact Johyne Harriman. Director and four Board members. While the deadline for candidates to declare Johyne is also looking for some help during the Great Peppers’ Meeting. If you think you’ll have their intent is not until August, it is not premature to start discussions among some spare time, please contact Johyne. I know she would appreciate it. your Pods as to whom you want to represent you. I urge you to take this election seriously. Get to know the candidates. If you have questions, call, email or visit Last year during TICC, I was asked why many of the new white tables in the judging area had with them in person. No one who is running for office will turn down an a gold plaque on them with the name of the Irving Elks Lodge. In the early 90’s, many members were opportunity to talk with you, Great Pepper or not. Yes, the Great Peppers carry around when the Pods were asked to donate the cost of a table. Many Pods responded to the request, the vote, but the Pod members vote on the Great Peppers. and a gold plate was placed on the table with the Pod’s name on it. The Irving Elks Lodge has been the only one to continue to donate money for new tables, thus their name is the only one on the new In two short months, CASI has its annual Great Peppers’ Meeting. If you white tables. have not yet made your reservations to attend, please do so soon. You do not have to be a Great Pepper or an officer of your Pod to attend the meeting. One The Board is trying to replace all the old tables, which are breaking down and are very heavy of the things I enjoy most about the Great Peppers’ Meetings is the friendship. to handle requiring at least two people to move them. The new white tables are more durable and This is a once-a-year opportunity to visit with some pretty fine people, politic lighter to handle. I know the Board would very much appreciate any donations from Pods or anyone a little, but mostly enjoy. It’s like TICC without the competition (and the dust). towards the purchase of tables and chairs. The new pavilion now offers a place to gather and socialize, It’s also a rules change consideration year; rules discussions are always and new tables and chairs are needed for this area. If there are any Pods or members out there with entertaining. You will want to make time to attend the Candidates’ Forum and some extra funds they would like to see go for a good cause and get their name on a new white table, the Rules Review session on Friday at the Great Peppers’ Meeting. please contact someone on the Board. We would appreciate the help. In two very short months, I go back to being just another CASI cook. I I’m sure most of our members are now aware that once again the CASI Liability Insurance can say, however, that I’ll be just another cook with a wealth of memories. Over Policy has a liability rider. This rider can be purchased from our insurance carrier for $275 to cover the past four years, I have gathered an abundance of information and made that a cookoff location, if needed. The decision to have or not have liability coverage for a cookoff has information available to everyone, and I will continue to do so. My CASI become a serious issue. We have been very fortunate to have had so many years of, for the most part, promotion work is not finished. On the Board or not, I always will be available problem free cookoffs as far as anyone getting seriously hurt. Call it luck or whatever, someday, to help in whatever means possible. somewhere, something is going to happen to end that lucky streak. If and when that day comes, the cost could be devastating to those responsible if they are not covered by insurance. I believe it is time Most sincerely, for all of us to get serious about having insurance at every cookoff for the protection of all concerned. Those members putting on cookoffs must start asking those responsible for the location if liability Johnye Harriman insurance is in force and ensure the policy will cover the cookoff. If the location does not have the coverage, then it must become part of the overall expenses of the cookoff and be purchased from the CASI carrier. The person responsible for the cookoff could be held liable for a serious accident. Are YOU willing to assume the risk? Don’t think you are above being sued. Anyone can sue anyone these CASI Chili days and even if you are not held liable, the price of defending yourself in court could cost you a lot of money in more ways than one. I believe the time has come to make insurance coverage for every cookoff mandatory. For the Cookoff Liability peace of mind of everyone connected with a cookoff, I am asking our members and Great Peppers to give this issue very serious thought and address this need at the upcoming Great Peppers’ Meeting in September.