ROCHELLE ­— As the cooler weather hits the region, nothing satisfies more than a bowl of chili, which is what the Rochelle Kiwanis Golden K will be serving for their Chili Day fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Chili Day will be held at the Rochelle United Methodist Church Hicks Hall. Tickets are $7, with no charge for children under 7 years of age. Carryout is available.
Chili Day, along with Pancake Day and Peanut Day, are annual fundraisers that Kiwanis Golden K has that benefit the Rochelle community. All monies collected through club fundraising is returned back to various organizations including Boy and Girl Scouts, HOPE, Hub City Senior Center, and RTHS Key Club and Scholarships.

Chili Day was started over 30 years ago in 1986 — the same year the Kiwanis Golden K was granted its charter. Preparations for the event begin about a month beforehand, with members pre-selling tickets along with flyers printed and distributed in the area. About ten members of the Golden K get together one week before the event to prepare the chili. This year, close to 100 gallons of chili will be prepared, all homemade.
Aside from the main dish, attendees can enjoy french bread, fruit, punch, milk, coffee and cake. RTHS Key Club will also be holding a bake sale during the event and several Focus House students will be serving in the dining room.
Currently Kiwanis Golden K has 60 members, and meets every Thursday morning for breakfast at the Hickory Grove Conference Center. Anyone 18 or older can join, and they are always looking for new members.
Service is at the heart of every Kiwanis charter, no matter where in the world it is located. Outside of the local area, Golden K members also contribute to International Service Projects such as the Eliminate Project that helps mothers-to-be avoid maternal neonatal tetanus, which is prominent in poor countries.