Jefferson High School valedictorian and Key Club member Aven Thone hands out a fresh bowl of spicy beef chili in the War Memorial Building on Friday night. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The scent of chili filled the room on the second floor of the War Memorial Building on Friday night.

A total of 10 different chili varieties — red lentil, bison, vegetarian, beef at three different spice levels, venison at two different spice levels and chicken at two different spice levels — were available for sampling at the chili and cornbread dinner fundraiser, which were cooked by different members of the Kiwanis Club of Shepherdstown. One of the most popular chilis — the bison — was made by club president Terry Walker.

“We’ve got plenty of good chili here. My preference is bison, of course, since I made it,” Walker said, mentioning it was made with his signature recipe.

According to Walker, the effort that it takes to put on the event every year is worth it, for all of the good that it enables the club to do.

“The chili dinner is one of our signature events, which enables us to raise enough funds to put back into the community,” Walker said. “This is one of biggest events every year, alongside our auction event and our wine event. It’s a top fundraiser.”

Jefferson High School Key Club President Julia Lassen collects trash and chats with attendees at the chili dinner fundraiser in the War Memorial Building on Friday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

He said the fundraiser has become an event that community members anticipate every year, especially since it coincides with the town’s tree lighting ceremony and kickoff event for Christmas in Shepherdstown.

“It has become ingrained in people’s minds, as a major part of the Christmas in Shepherdstown kickoff,” Walker said. “People expect us to be here now, because we’ve been doing this for so many years.”

He estimated that the fundraiser has been held for more than two decades.

“Who doesn’t love chili? Who doesn’t love the community spirit and the goodwill that the holiday brings?” Walker said. “And when you can mix that recipe with a third element, of teenagers who want to come out and serve, it becomes a pretty special event.”

Those teenagers — a team of 20 — were members of the Jefferson High School (JHS) Key Club. For them, the event allows them to complete the remainder of their yearly service hours, in a fun environment. JHS senior and Key Club President Julia Lassen said she has volunteered with the event for the past four years. She enjoyed it so much in years past, that she chose to volunteer for the entire event, rather than a single time slot — even though she had already surpassed her service hour requirements.

“I’ve been here all day, just because I love it! It’s so much fun to me,” Lassen said. “A lot of my fellow Key Club members agree with me, too — if you look in the kitchen, you’ll see we have almost too many people helping behind the scenes.”

She said the gifts that had been donated to be sold at the fundraiser helped make it all the more fun for the Key Club members.

“My favorite part about this is the gifts. I love seeing people shopping here — especially since the proceeds from it all go toward a good cause,” Lassen said of the gift table, which was raising funds for Santa’s Toy Shop. “My friend Allie just went over to the table and found the perfect gifts to give her mom and a friend for Christmas.”