A Little Chili.
A Lot of Community.
Celebrating Our Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser
Schroeder Design Build event participants (left to right): Franc, Denny, Mike, Beth, Justina, Tom, Andrew, Trish
Photos courtesy of ©Greg Hadley Photography
Event Date: October 3, 2026
at American Legion Fairfax Post 177
What an incredible day of chili, friendly competition, and community spirit! We’re grateful to everyone who helped make this event possible and supported two organizations doing meaningful work in our community.
$14,000 Raised for Two Great Causes
The Chili Cook-Off brought our community together around a shared goal: having fun while giving back.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Health, Happiness & Hooves, which provides free therapeutic experiences with horses and other animals to individuals in need, and American Legion Fairfax Post 177, which supports veterans and the local community.
Every ticket purchased, sponsorship contributed, chili entered, and auction or raffle item donated helped make this fundraising effort a success.
To everyone who participated, thank you!
A Day Full of Fun, Food, and Friendly Competition
From the first arrivals to the final awards, the day was filled with great food, laughter, dance, and plenty of community spirit.
Guests enjoyed tasting chili, watching the McGrath Academy of Irish Dance team, Lorenzo & Friends magician, cheering on contestants, participating in the auction and raffle, and spending time with friends and neighbors. Our junior chili competition added another fun dimension to the festivities, giving younger cooks a chance to show off their talents.
We’ve gathered some of our favorite moments below. Take a look and see if you spot someone you know!
Congratulations to Our Chili Cook-Off Winners!
A big round of applause for everyone who entered the competition!
We appreciate the time, creativity, and effort that went into preparing each chili recipe.
Adult Chili Cook-Off Winners
Matt Tisses
1ST PLACE JUDGES PANEL
2ND PLACE PEOPLE’S CHOICE
AJ DeCenzo
Award accepted by Trish Schroeder in AJ’s absence
1ST PLACE PEOPLE’S CHOICE
2ND PLACE JUDGES PANEL
Doug Dunbar
3RD PLACE JUDGES PANEL
3RD PLACE PEOPLE’S CHOICE
JUNIOR Chili Cook-Off Winners
Gabrielle Schroeder
1ST PLACE JUDGES PANEL
Eren Sandoval
2ND PLACE JUDGES PANEL
And a special thank-you to our judges for taking on the delicious challenge of selecting this year’s winners!
Relive the Chili Cook-Off
Explore photos from throughout the day!
Registration & Welcome — See the volunteers and guests who helped get the festivities started.
Chili Contestants & Tastings — Meet the cooks, explore their chili creations, and revisit the friendly competition.
Judging & Winners — See the judging in action and celebrate our adult and junior competition winners.
Auction & Raffle — Take a look at the donated items, prizes, and moments that helped support our fundraising efforts.
Community Fun & Festivities — Enjoy some of our favorite candid moments from the day’s activities.
Petting Zoo — Relive the fun as kids enjoyed meeting and interacting with the animals from Health, Happiness & Hooves.
A Special Thank-You to Our Sponsors
This event would not have been possible without the generosity of our sponsors and business partners.
We’re fortunate to work alongside businesses that share our commitment to supporting the community. Their contributions helped make this event a success, and we encourage everyone to show them the same support they’ve shown us.
Valuable Sponsors Who Donated Products or Services
Thank You for Making a Difference!
On behalf of Schroeder Design Build, Health, Happiness & Hooves, and American Legion Fairfax Post 177, thank you for helping make this Chili Cook-Off such a memorable event.
To our sponsors, volunteers, contestants, judges, donors, and everyone who attended, your generosity and enthusiasm helped turn a fun afternoon into meaningful support for our community.
We hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did, and we look forward to seeing you at another community event!
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