Eating chocolate benefits kids
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
ARLEE – The 11th annual Chocolate Lover’s Festival allows folks to taste sweet chocolate creations without the guilt – it’s for a good cause. And it isn’t too late to help or attend the event scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, at 6:30 p.m.
“Every bid helps a kid,” Roxi Duffy, volunteer, said of the event.
The event works like this. First, people donate two of the same chocolate desserts to the Community Development Corporation’s chocolate festival. One dish is divided up so everyone can get a taste. The second is auctioned off with the money going to kids’ programs the CDC helps fund - from sports to the arts.
“We use the money to support youth programs and the library,” said Shannon Patton, event organizer with the CDC.
Folks get pretty creative with the chocolate creations they donate to the event; everything from layered chocolate lasagna to marbled chocolate brownies with a variation of rich dark chocolate to a sweeter, lighter-colored variation.
People fill their plates with samples of those chocolate creations during the event.
“After people pay, the tasting begins,” Patton said. “While people are tasting, they can chit-chat and listen to music.”
Music will be provided by Troy Patton, lead singer for Sho Down, and Matt Brown.
Each bite of chocolate gets a vote until the best tasting dishes are discovered.
“We will have awards for first, second and third place,” Patton said. “This year, the kids contest is being divided into age groups. The winners get prizes like gift certificates from businesses.”
Last year, the fundraiser brought in about $3,000.
“We had the best one last year,” she said. “We hope to beat that this year. We need to make more money this year with this event. We won’t have the income from the farmers market anymore, it’s being moved, so we are depending on this event to raise money for the kids’ programs.”
Roxi is donating her hand dipped artisan truffles again this year. One of the various flavors she is bringing has a mango and balsamic center sprinkled with a habanero sea salt.
“People seem to really like that one,” she said of the spicy truffle. “I donate because it helps out the kids in the community, and like everyone says, it takes a village to raise a child, so I think the community should stick together and help provide things to help the kids.”
Those who cannot make it to the event are still encouraged to donate.
“We need more desserts and prizes,” Patton said. “We can always use more volunteers.”
To make a donation or volunteer, call Shannon Patton at (406) 544-8756 or go to:
shannonbuhr@gmail.com. The CDC can be reached at (406) 726-5550.
