WINONA LAKE – The aroma of barbecue over hot grills wafted over Winona Lake’s Spring Fountain Park Saturday evening. It was time for the Blue Jeans & BBQ Gala, an annual fundraiser for Combined Community Services. Guests were invited to don their boots and hats for this Western-themed event, which featured five chefs vying to be named favorite. It wasn’t all food, though. There was a silent auction with items ranging from signed photographs of celebrities to a weekend stay at Oakwood Resort on Lake Wawasee. An inflatable shooting gallery, photo booth and live music from the Bekah Bradley Band added to the festivities. There was also a bandanna raffle. The $10 purchase of a bandanna also bought the buyer a chance of winning a set of silver and topaz earring from Chapman Jewelers. All money raised goes to CCS to be used for its programs. Gordy Clemens, Dewald Fluid Power, took top honors with his babyback barbecued ribs. He said he started cooking them Friday, and continued the grilling around 5 p.m. Saturday. Last year’s reigning champion, John Tucker of Maple Leaf Farms, offered ground duck with a cherry chipotle barbecue sauce and caramelized onions. Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer competed with a marinated pork loin served with a sweet chili sauce. Dane Miller, honorary chairman of the event, along with his guest chef Winona Lake Fire Chief Mitch Titus, took up the cooking challenge with pulled pork. Matt Metzger, Metzger Trucking/Metzger Outdoors, offered not one, but three different items he named “Winona Lake Street Food” – steak, chicken and sausage bites served on a stick with different dipping sauces including balsamic and soy, stone ground mustard, yellow coconut curry, peanut sauce and Korean-style barbecue. Noa Noa provided corn bread and cole slaw, and desserts came from The Cake Lady, North Webster. CCS Executive Director Steve Possell said the ticket sales were a little stronger than last year’s. That money, along with votes for best chef at $5 each, the silent auction and a live auction, will help CCS serve community needs. CCS provides a food bank, emergency assistance, self-sufficiency and individual development programs. One beneficiary spoke on behalf of CCS. Angela Soria, a former client and now a nurse, told the crowd how CCS had benefited her. Possell said, “The money will go to all of our operations.” Adding that there might be a little more than in the past, he said, “There are people not even here bidding.” One of those people later won the biggest prize in the live auction – a one-week vacation in Miller’s home in Florida along with a half-day’s use of his 135-foot private yacht and dinner in the yacht club. Miller said there would also be a bottle of red, and a bottle of white, wine waiting in the kitchen. Ron Baumgartner, Syracuse, was not present but had put in the top bid of $8,000 by phone. Miller also donated one other big prize – a trip to Indianapolis for four on his Bell 407GX super-performance helicopter with dinner at Cerulean in that city. Spirited bidding between CCS board member Brian May and Tucker got the price up to $4,500. Before the night was over, Miller had a little fun with Warsaw’s mayor. Before announcing the auction donations, he called up Thallemer and asked if he had been smoking a cigar. Winona Lake has an ordinance against smoking, he informed him, while pulling out his officer’s badge. Thallemer was fined $10, which also went to CCS.
