Sweet treats satisfy crowd at eighth annual Chocolate Celebration

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February 4, 2010

Samaritan Caregivers raise $8,500 during their second largest fundraiser of the year

By DANIEL HUMAN The Kokomo Tribune Thu Feb 04, 2010, 10:42 PM EST

Willy Wonka would have been jealous.

Fudges, truffles, cakes and, at one table, edible flowers filled a richly aromatic hallway of Kokomo Mall on Thursday.

Hundreds of people roamed up and down the building, occasionally stopping at tables to sample the decadent snacks during Samaritan Caregivers’ Chocolate Celebration.

While some visitors nibbled on free, bite-sized portions, others swapped tickets for full portions or take-home packages.

Proceeds from ticket sales went toward the Kokomo nonprofit’s general fund.

The Chocolate Celebration, which was in its eighth year, is Samaritan Caregivers’ second largest fundraiser of the year, behind the Duck Derby every summer at Kokomo Beach.

Jamie Henderson, the organization’s executive director, said the event sold about 3,400 tickets. At two tickets for $5, it brought in $8,500.

Last year, the event sold 3,200 tickets, she said.

It was a mixing pot of chocolate types and vendors Thursday.

Some served traditional chocolate menus, such as J. Edwards Fine Chocolate, which was the event’s corporate sponsor.

Other vendors came from non-food-related organizations, some of which offered a more exotic sampling.

Orchids adorned Waterford Place Health Campus’ table at the north end of the mall.

Passers-by dismissed the flowers as a garnish sitting next to chocolates in corsage boxes.

But as people walked by, the health-care facility’s dining staff offered them tastes of the flowers’ petals and stem.

“I love the presentation,” Betti Nogly-Rennemann said about the orchids. “We started serving them several years ago on Valentine’s Day. [The residents] can be a little apprehensive.”

One of last year’s hot sellers was the chocolate porter cake from Half Moon Restaurant & Brewery. The restaurant makes the cake from its in-house brewed Cole Porter, flavoring the pastry with a hint of the dark beer.

Chris Roegner, the restaurant’s proprietor, said he brought a couple hundred slices of the cake last year. He sold out within a hour.

To prevent a repeat of last year, his restaurant brought 600 slices of the cake Thursday.

Half Moon’s cake earned the restaurant two awards this year, 3rd place for Best Baked Good and 2nd place in the People’s Choice category.

Henderson said Samaritan Caregivers intentionally schedules the chocolate-centric event just before Valentine’s Day.

Part of the event’s purpose is to promote local businesses, she said.

“People seem to like supporting businesses that give back to the community,” she said.

• Daniel Human is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He can be reached at 765-454-8570 or at daniel.human@kokomotribune.com.

Award Winners:

A panel of judges, mainly consisting of representatives from Kokomo media outlets, selected their favorite vendors in certain categories. There was also a People’s Choice award. The following are the winners:

People’s Choice:

1. Windmill Grill

2. Half Moon Restaurant & Brewery

3. Glass Canopy Cafe

Best Baked Good:

1. Indulgence Bakery

2. Marsh Supermarket

3. Half Moon Restaurant & Brewery

Best Candy:

1. Boyd’s Fudge

2. Jefferson Manor

3. Banner Flower House

Best Other:

1. Gordon Food Service

2. Howard Regional Health System

3. Glass Canopy Cafe

Best Display:

1. Whiskey Creek Woodfire Grill

2. Windmill Grill

3. North Woods Commons

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Sweet treats satisfy crowd at eighth annual Chocolate Celebration

Samaritan Caregivers raise $8,500 during their second largest fundraiser of the year

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