Valdosta State University Campus Wellness will hold its inaugural Great Bowls of Fire Chili Cook-off from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, in the University Center Magnolia Room.
 
All students, faculty, staff, alumni, retirees and friends of the university are invited to compete for the title of VSU Chili Master. Contest registration is $20 per chili entered and limited to 20 competitors. The deadline to enter is 5 p.m. Nov. 2.
 
Cook-off contestants will compete in three categories: VSU Chili Master, People’s Choice, and Best Healthy Chili. The Chili Master winner will be awarded $100, and the People’s Choice and Best Healthy Chili winners will each be awarded $50. Each winner will also receive a gift basket and trophy.
 
The panel of judges will include various VSU and community members. They will score each chili based on color, aroma, consistency, taste, and aftertaste. An awards ceremony will take place at the end of the event for all cook-off winners.
 
Admission to the chili cook-off is $5 per person for those who want to support their favorite competitor or taste some of Valdosta’s best chili. During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to watch cooking demonstrations, play games, and win door prizes.
 
All proceeds from the cook-off will support VSU’s Campus Wellness.
 
Campus Wellness promotes an increased awareness and practice of a healthy lifestyle by offering a variety of educational activities and programs that address the social, intellectual, occupational, spiritual, physical, and emotional wellness of the university’s faculty, staff, and student population. This includes the annual Benefits and Wellness Fair, which gives students, faculty, staff, and retirees the opportunity to meet with dozens of representatives to learn about health, wellness, retirement, and benefit plans; healthy living challenges such as Walk Georgia, Active For Life, and Health Trails; group fitness classes; Dine and Discover; special initiatives like the Employee Assistance Program; and more. Additionally, VSU’s campus features the Walking Trail System, which includes the Fitness Route, the Scenic Route, the Historical Plants Tour, and the Whitehead Camellia Trail, which are open to the public.
 
Campus Wellness also collaborates with the College of Nursing and Health Sciences on VSU’s Exercise is Medicine program, a health initiative focused on physical activity being integral to the prevention and treatment of diseases. VSU has earned national gold level recognition for its Exercise is Medicine program.

Visit www.valdosta.edu/chilicookoff to purchase tickets or register for the cook-off. A limited supply of tickets will also be available at the door.