Rootstown Lions Club Chili Cook-off a hit in its fifth year

Community members and businesses across Rootstown Township came together for the Rootstown Township Lions Club 5th Annual Chili Cook Off. The Cook Off is the first fundraising event to start off the Lions Club 2026 efforts. Lions Club is the world’s largest service club with 1.4 million members in over 200 countries. With the mission to serve, to give back to the community, and help those with eyesight issues.

The Lions Club members came up with the Chili Cook Off after trying to revamp the Spaghetti Diner events that most of them grew up on. Abigail Kress/The Portager

 

Tricia Ligotti, the organizer of the cook off, joined the Lions Club in 2014. “We used
to do spaghetti dinners. Those were kind of antiquated, you know, kind of out of style if you
will. So we were kind of looking for something different,” Ligotti said.

Doug Mathews joined as a contestant with his chili, pictured here, in support of Boy Scout Troop 253. Abigail Kress/The Portager

 

This year's event saw some new faces, like the Horseshoe Diner, and returning members, like the Rootstown Township High School teachers, who have competed all 5 years, or Boy Scout Troop 253 whose leader, Doug Mathews, is a member of the Lions Club. Mathews has been a contestant for the last 4 years.

The eight contestants this year were: The New Center at NEOMED, The Rootstown Township High School Teachers, Kent State’s Student Dietetic Association, Scout Troop 253, Horseshoe Diner, Arin Morgan, Tantrum Hygenics and Fairhaven Church of Rootstown.

Horseshoe Diner owners Woodie Goodnight and Sue Goodnight, and employee Kasey Taubler, pose with their booth and the White Turkey Chili, a recipe in honor of a deceased family member. Abigail Kress/The Portager

 

Contestants served up a wide variety of chili, from mild to spicy to different kinds of meats, and even a white turkey chili by Horseshoe Diner. The Owner of Horseshoe Diner, Woodie Goodnight, dedicated the chili in honor of Sue Christian, his daughter-in-law’s mother, who has passed. The recipe came from Christian's cookbook.

Tantrum Hygienics won the People’s Choice and first place at the Chili Cook-Off. Posing with their booth are Jessie Staeger, Erik Staeger, and Trentan Staeger. Abigail Kress/The Portager

 

The winners of this year’s cook off are Arin Morgan in third place, Kent State’s Student Dietetic Association in second, and Tantrum Hygenics in first Pplace. Tantrum Hygenics came as visitors at last year’s cook-off and had so much fun they decided they had to become contestants. 

The funds raised by this event will help fund the Lions Club's Annual Easter Egg hunt for families in the area.