Step Up For Charity: How many steps?????

Step Up For Charity

StepUpForCharity.org

Chileheads have always been known to be a 'step ahead' of most folks, be it through the exploration of new and challenging cuisines or the research into the latest chile pepper cultivars. Now comes another proof, or to be more exact- 106,380 of them.

That's the number of steps a long time member of the chilehead community, Jim Campbell (the firefighter guy at Mild to Wild®), climbed in a 24 hour period to raise money for charity. For those not caring to do the math, that's about 2.4 times up Mt Everest or almost 40% more than the previous world record of 66,000 steps.

It was the chilehead community that made the event a success as the vast majority of the money raised came from them, either in the form of individual donations or through the auction of some limited edition hot sauces from Blair Lazar (extremefood.com) and John Hard (CaJohns.com).

The money raised went to fund scholarships for US soldiers (through the Maude Foundation) in honor of Jim's brother-in-law who was killed 9-11, for scholarhips to police officers' children (through the Jason Baker Fund) in honor of a local police officer killed in the line of duty on 9-17-01, for scholarships to firefighters' children (through the Jim Cleek fund) in honor of a local fire Lieutenant who died of skin cancer, and to fund cancer research and support cancer survivors (through the Stehlin Foundation and the American Cancer Society). Most of these are smaller charities that struggle with the need to raise funds in order to do their good works.

The chilehead community has another oppportunity to 'step up' and help out with a worthy cause. On August 10th of this year, Campbell is going to try it again.

Much of the chilehead community has rallied to the cause, including another major commitment from Blair Lazar and John Hard. They are rumored to be working on another limited special edition bottle for auction and Blair is donating 100% of his sales- every single penny- at Jungle Jim's "Weekend of Fire" on August 4th & 5th to the StepUp Charity.

Another chilehead has organized a hot sauce contest for ameteurs (and pros). A $10 donation to the StepUp Charity allows one to enter as many as five sauces into a contest to be judged in late September. Even the web site (http://www.StepUpForCharity.org) was done by a talented chilehead who wanted to help out.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated and will serve as the motivation this August as Campbell attempts to prove again that chileheads are a 'step above'.

Extreme sauce, Extreme generosity

There are some special goings on at Jungle Jim’s “Weekend of Fire” August 4th and 5th. Mr Blair Lazar, creator of some of the finest and hottest sauces on the planet, is announcing a special deal for those planning to attend the Midwests’ biggest chile pepper event. This doesn’t involve ‘discounted prices’ or ’special offers’ but rather a chance to help out the StepUpForCharity.org efforts in an unbelievable fashion.

Due to a scheduling conflict, Mr Lazar has known that he would not be able to attend the show in person. In conversations with him this evening, he has offered that Jim Campbell man the booth for him. In return he is going to donate 100%- every penny- of the sales generated that weekend to the StepUp Charities. You pay $5 for a bottle of hotsauce- $5 goes to the charity.

Such an offer speaks volumes to the character of the man widely known as the most collectable of hot sauce makers. While his reputation is widely known as the maker of the worlds’ hottest sauces, no less so should be his reputation as one of the most generous people on earth!

Additionally, he has promised that many of the bottles available for purchase will be signed.

Please, if you are down at Jungle Jim’s that weekend, stop in and buy!

Jungle Jim's

8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
5440 Dixie Highway
Fairfield, Ohio 45014
Phone: 513-674-6000
Fax: 513-674-6001

HOT Sauce Contest!

In conjunction with the annual “Woodstock for Chileheads”, a hot sauce contest is being added to the events planned for Open Fields. The cost is only $10 per person and that one fee allows you to enter as many sauces as you’d like (within reason, please).

Listed categories are:

Best ‘Hot’ Sauce

Best ‘Sweet Hot’

Best ‘Mild’ Sauce

Best ‘Fresh from the Field’

Open Category (anything goes, any heat level)

Best Salsa

Prizes are yet to be determined but trophies will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd in each category. Judging will be done on site & winners announced that evening (September 29th).

The Best Fresh from the Field category is unique among any other hot sauce contest as these will be sauces that are made and prepared on site with chiles picked fresh from the ones available on site. You are allowed to bring your own extra ingredients (onions, garlic, etc) to the contest, but the sauce must be based on the chiles you find in the fields. Think “Iron Chef” minus the high tech kitchen and utensils and adding a rustic setting, weather, lots of fellow chileheads, and a good cause.

The contest is the brainchild of “Scotch Bonnet Steve” from the MSN Rogues group. If you plan on entering, please send him a note (sfoster4 at gmail.com) so that he can add your name to the poster. He is one of the most knowledgeable growers in the country and is taking part in some real cutting edge research involving chile peppers. The contest is no longer limited to amateur hot sauce makers! Let the games begin!

Contest entries should be mailed to Jim Campbell, 81 Martin Pl, Franklin IN 46131. The check for the entry fee needs be made out to: The Stair Climb Fund.

All proceeds go to charity!