Simmons Hanly Conroy Paralegal Shara Fisher makes an award-winning bowl of chili. This past Saturday, the firm won the People’s Choice Award with Shara’s sweet and spicy recipe at the 10th Annual Alton Chili Cook-Off. Hosted by Alton Main Street, the annual cook-off benefited the downtown association’s efforts to beautify Alton, Illinois.
“People like the sweet with a little bit of kick,” said Amy Fair, Simmons Employee Foundation President and Simmons Hanly Conroy Director of the Asbestos Medical Department, in an interview with The Alton Telegraph. “They don’t like bland and they don’t like too spicy. I think that’s why we’re getting the votes, people really like our secret recipe.”
Along with Amy and Shara, firm employees Stephanie Dorris, Julie Bond, Chris Kearbey, Sheree Thacker, Tamara Ferguson and Stephanie Elliott made up the winning cook-off team. Together, they prepared the chili on Friday at the firm’s national headquarters in Alton and decorated their booth to match the “Cowboys and Cowgirls” theme.
Hundreds of attendees tested over 23 different recipes in this year’s cook-off. Several area businesses and individuals competed to win category titles and the coveted Silver Ladle. The ladle was bestowed to the team that won the People’s Choice category. Other category awards were: individual, business, restaurant, organization and best decorated booth.
Winners of Saturday’s cook-off include:
- People’s Choice: Simmons Hanly Conroy
- Business: The Fountains at Godfrey
- Organization: Argosy Casino Alton
- Restaurant: Big Daddy’s BBQ
- Individual: Steve Stanich
- Best Decorated Booth: Rock the Hops
Local events such as the Annual Alton Chili Cook-Off allow the firm to continue to give back to its communities.
“The main reason we’re here is because all of the proceeds go to the beautification of Alton,” Amy told the Telegraph. “It’s really not about winning, but just what the proceeds go to.”
Learn more about other ways Simmons Hanly Conroy gives back >>>
