Heartburn Day chili-cookoff fundraiser returns Feb. 28 for first time since pandemic

Local restaurateur Mike Bayer and Richard Kneider of Simple Dreams Ministries met at Gilly’s Pubhouse in Stratford recently to discuss the return of the Heartburn Day chili-cookoff fundraiser on Feb. 28.

Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Though he’s got less than six weeks to pull it off, local restaurateur Mike Bayer is bringing back a beloved annual fundraising event sure to warm the stomachs and hearts of locals next month.

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Heartburn Day chili-cookoff fundraiser will return to the Stratford Rotary Complex from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 28. Having discussed the idea of bringing back the event over the past year with Kevin Miller of Automotion Repair and Tire, the event’s main sponsor, and others who have fond memories of eating or cooking chili, Bayer, who own’s Gilly’s Pubhouse, the Erie Drive In and other local restaurants, decided just last week he and his team would begin seeking volunteers, donors, vendors and sponsors to put the fire back into Heartburn Day.

“Essentially, it’s very similar in concept to Soups On,” Bayer said, referring to the annual fundraiser event held each January in support of the Alzheimer Society of Perth Huron. “You have a number of vendors making different chilis. It doesn’t have to be beef; it could be vegetarian, venison – there used to be all kinds of chilis. And it wasn’t just businesses or restaurants who entered, it was social clubs, nursing homes, realtors, you name it. It’s a chili cookoff and a love for chili, and February’s a good time to do it.

“… Everybody still talks about it, so we thought it’s a great community event and it was actually bigger than Soups On. Soups On actually kind of modelled their event after the Heartburn Day originally. … I want this to be for the community just to come out and have fun.”

Like Soups On, admission is free, there will be live music and entertainment, a kids’ zone, a silent auction and attendees will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for either tasters or full bowls of all the different chilis cooked up by the vendors. There is no vendor fee for those who would like cook up and serve their best chili.

Though the event was originally held as a fundraiser for the local chapter of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, hence it’s name, the chapter has since left Stratford, so Bayer decided instead to raise money for another local charity, Simple Dreams Ministries – the organizer of the annual To Stratford With Love community dinner that also helps locals in need in whatever way it can.

“I love this charity and we try and support it as much as we can, so I thought this is a great way to do that,” Bayer said.

“It’s absolutely awesome and I was just totally humbled when Mike approached us, saying they wanted to do it,” Simple Dreams co-founder Richard Kneider said. “… The need is out there and this will certainly help us do some of things we do with Simple Dreams. Just before I came in today, I just got a phone call in the car from a lady who needs another bed. … There’s just so many different needs, and with this, we can expand the scope of what we do.”

One hundred per cent of the proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction, as well as donations of money and non-perishable food items, will go to support Simple Dreams.

Without much time to pull this event together, Bayer is looking for volunteers, people and businesses interested in donating items for the silent auction, vendors and corporate sponsors to help alleviate some of the cost to host the event. For more information or to sign up to help with Heartburn Day, email heartburnday.simpledreams@gmail.com.