Chili Cook-Off For A Cause
Manning the slow cookers serving up some delicious chili are RTM member Sal Liccione, VFW Post 399 Auxiliary Senior Vice-President, former RTM member Harris Falk, two-time Chili Cook-off winner Westport Police Officer Greg Gunter and two young assistants, Blake Schluter and Finn Williams.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Funds are needed to replace flags removed from the grave of veterans at Assumption Cemetery in Westport.
Below left: The VFW hall starts to fill up as the Cook-Off lines open. Second , Virginia Ferrari, 06880's omnipresent Dan Woog and First Selectwoman Jen Tooker stop for a quick photo. Third photo, Steve Jenkins, Post 399 member (right) with his son enjoying the day’s fare, and far right, the chili champion Officer Greg Gunter ready to serve the next guest.
Last Saturday the VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 hosted it's 2nd annual Chili Cook-Off, a fundraiser for a very important cause dear to the hearts of Westport area veterans, and veterans everywhere. Each year for more than a century the Post has a tradition, "to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans". Volunteers from the veteran's community each year respectfully place flags of over 450 veterans at Assumption Cemetery in Westport "as a tribute to their service"
This year something very discouraging occurred. The flags placed at the graves of those veterans "were removed without prior notification or consultation with the veteran community" (quotations are from a VFW Letter to the Diocese of Bridgeport Catholic Cemeteries, LLC, dated July 31, 2024 provided to WestportLocalPress). That letter stated the understanding by the Post that the removal of the flags was related to maintenance and seemed to indicate that the explanation from the Diocese Cemetery office "equates the removal of flags with the removal of Christmas decorations".
The concern by the veteran community is clearly stated at the end of page 1 of the letter, which states, "The removal of the flags without dialogue or alternative arrangements is a concern to veteran community throughout Fairfield County, the third largest veteran population (29,396) in Connecticut".
Post 399 in their letter suggested possible solutions to the issue going forward. VFW Post 399 quartermaster Phil Delgado told WestportLocalPress that the flags were not returned to the post and the Diocese office provided no information as to what happened to them. The proceeds from the Cook-Off will be used toward the purchase of metal flag holders required by the cemetery which are projected to cost $6,000.
Anyone interested in helping Post 399 in their goal of raising the required funds in order to purchase the flag holders can contact Quartermaster Phil Delgado or Auxiliary Sr Vice President Patty Kondub at: vfw399ct@gmail.com. Securing the holders will allow the flag of The United States Of America to once again decorate in tribute, the graves of the veterans who sacrificed to defend that flag and our nation.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.