Community Involvement

Cooking Off for Charity

About the photo: From left to right, David Hughes, trainmaster; Jason Plett, trainmaster; Rodney Koch, stepfather of Jami Angelos, clerk; Dena Vigil, Angelos' sister; and Angelos.

For 27 years, a Charity Chili Cook-off has been held in Gillette, Wyo., to support the Youth Emergency Services House and Council for Community Services. The Powder River Division sponsored the latest cook-off, and a team of division employees participated and brought home trophies.

More than 30 teams competed and 4,200 people attended the showdowns to see whose red and green chili, salsa and guacamole were deemed the best in Campbell County.

BNSF defended its title and brought home the first-place trophy for the second consecutive year for both judge's and people's choice in green chili. The award-winning recipe belongs to clerk Jami Angelos' stepfather and is titled, "Bringing the Heat Green." BNSF also placed second in judge's and people's choice for salsa, thanks to a recipe from Angelos' sister.

The overall event raised about $33,500 in donations for the worthy charities.