Fundraiser planned for Norwin elementary school backpack program
Fans of chili and wings will be in their glory at the Norwin Rotary’s 10th annual Chili Cook-off and Wing Thing March 5 at various locations in downtown Irwin.
The food will be available from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Colonial Grille, Brandy’s on Main, the Cheesecake Caffe and the Irwin Masonic Lodge, all on Main Street, as well as the First United Methodist Church, 310 Oak St. The cost of the sample bowl of chili is 50 cents and the wings are $1.
The fundraiser is for the Norwin Rotary Club’s backpack program, which provides needy students at Norwin’s Sheridan Terrace Elementary School in North Huntingdon with backpacks filled with nutritious food that students can take home for the weekend during the school year. The Rotary helps more than 30 students at the elementary school, according to Gary Teti, Rotary Club member.
“We have been funding this project for 10 years to benefit children that are food insecure,” Teti said.
The chili cook-off is the only fundraiser for the Norwin Rotary’s backpack program, said Rosanne Novotnak, president of the Norwin Chamber of Commerce.
Some people sponsor a food-filled backpack for a child, Novotnak said. Sponsorships cost $350 and include a gift card for the child’s family, allowing them to purchase food for a holiday meal, Novotnak said.
For those wanting to be a participant or a sponsor in the chili cook-off, contact Cheryl Campbell at 724-858-7609 or Bill Caruthers at 724-382-5722.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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