On Friday, Nov. 7, the University of North Georgia Department of Public Safety will be hosting their annual chili cookoff and holiday toy drive in the Lanier Ballroom of the Health Sciences Building. The event is planned and run by Sergeant Christy Doyle, who has incorporated the Court Appointed Special Advocate program into the holiday event. Instead of selling tickets to vote on the different chili’s, attendees bring toy donations or make a charitable contribution to CASA, which provides toys for children in need during the holidays.
The chili cookoff has previously been a small event limited to UNG Public Safety staff and their families, but over the last couple of years has progressively incorporated the rest of the UNG community. The 2024 chili cookoff had a turnout of over 100 people, and this year the department is hoping for more.
“Our department really liked having everyone together. Instead of it being a Public Safety event, it turned into more of a campus wide event.” – Sergeant Christy Doyle
Last year the chili cookoff didn’t just have a variety of delicious chilis, but also had Santa Clause for students, staff, and families to take pictures with. A new addition to the event this year is a bake sale with all proceeds going to CASA. Doyle says that she “would love for [students] to be a part of the actual cookoff” but there is a limited number of volunteers to keep the event running smoothly.
Anyone is able to come to the cookoff and taste the different chilis, but in order to vote in the competition, attendees must buy an item from the bake sale or make a donation of money or an unwrapped toy.
“People don’t pay a lot of attention to me, but they’re going to pay attention to Santa… he is pretty noticeable,” said Doyle about walking around campus with “Santa Mark,” during the event last year to recruit students to attend. Doyle said that she hopes to see even more student, faculty and staff involvement, and especially more toys donated to CASA.
The winner of the chili cookoff will receive the “Tiffany Martin Blue Note of Excellence” award, which is named in honor of one of the Public Safety dispatchers who recently passed away. Public Safety personnel and community members have donated other prizes to be given out to winners of the chili cookoff and bake sale.
