Barbara Lawlor, Gilpin County.  Last year’s High Country Auxiliary fundraiser, the Annual Chili Dinner, was so successful, it ran out of chili. This year’s event was just as successful, but thanks to the Reserve Casino, it had enough chili to feed everyone at the Gilpin County Recreation Center as well as selling dozens of chili-filled containers after the event.

Red, green, white and veggie chilis were prepared by Reserve chef, Sean Boutot, Food and Beverage Supervisor Jessica Urquhart and Food and Beverage Director Tom Anderson. The chili was served with tortillas, corn bread, cheese, cole slaw, chips, brownies, cookies and drinks.

The best part of the dinner was knowing that the money spent on the chili will go to supporting the Timberline Fire Protection District firefighters. They will either purchase equipment, hot food and drinks during a winter fire or major emergency situation, or cold drinks and sandwiches for summer wildfires.

Most of the volunteers serving the chili and organizing the silent auction were firefighters who gave out red fire helmets to the kids and sold easy-to-find glow-in-the-dark address signs.

As folks finished their dinner they wandered around the silent auction tables to see what they couldn’t live without. Children who were present dragged their parents over to the large teddy bear corner and said they had to guard the bids to make sure they took a fuzzy critter home with them.

Ben, 7, and Amelia Bushey, 5, patiently waited for the final bid announcement and hurried to the pickup spot to claim their bears. Ben said, “I wanted that bear a lot because I like him.”

One couple went home with hundreds of dollars worth of liquor, fine bottles of bourbon, fancy bottles of vodka and many wine choices, to keep as gifts to give friends on special occasions.

One frustrated man hurried to the tables saying neither he nor his wife had remembered to bring their check book and they had to go erase all of their bids. “Good thing we wrote with a pencil,” he said.

Many fine art items were donated by the Elaine Schoelzel estate, including paintings and sculptures and books. A casting of two wolves, “Twilight Serenade” was a steal at a few hundred dollars. It was valued at $1,200.

Many people bid on the hotel getaway bargains, eager to spend a night somewhere other than their homes. Massages and acupuncture had a long list of bidders and restaurant gift cards were also popular.

Hydraulic car jacks saw some heavy bidding as well as the Ninja Master Prep food processor.

TFPD chief Glenn Levy announced the top bidders waving the bidding sheet in the air as if he had just sold the Mona Lisa. Everyone enjoyed the slightly competitive atmosphere and were gleeful when hearing they had won the object of their dreams. Of course, many people were also worried that they would win all of the items they bid on. One does have a tendency to get carried away when all of those good deals are on display, yours for putting down your number.

Everyone went home with full bellies, full arms and a lighter wallet, but knowing that every cent was going to support their local fire district.