Xpress Data, Inc.'s 2nd Annual Credit Union Chili Challenge, sanctioned by the International Chili Society, drew credit union teams from as far as Pennsylvania to Del Mar Racetrack near San Diego.

San Diego-based XDI, a provider of electronic correspondence solutions to more than 120 credit unions, launched the event last year.

This year, the Aug. 2 competition was hot between 10 cooperatives that wanted to take home trophies, bragging rights and $10,000 in prize money for charities.

Eagle Community Credit Union's team, led by Barbara McRae, dished up the best of the day, according to the judges, and earned a $5,000 cash donation for Children's Hospital of Orange County. The prize will be added to the money Eagle Community is already raising for its annual CHOC Walk next month, the credit union said.

“We went in with no expectations, thinking our chili was tasty, but we knew we had some tough competitors. So when we won we were shocked,” Erica Waetjen, VP of marketing for the $215 million Lake Forest, Calif.-based institution, stated in a press release. “We had so much fun, and to get a check to give to CHOC was even more rewarding.”

Like many of the participating credit unions, Eagle Community held an internal chili cook-off between seven teams to determine the winner and McRae's recipe earned the top spot, XDI said.

“It is a very cooperative and fun networking event,” McRae said. “We met a lot of new people from different credit unions across the country. It's also open to the public, so we're getting our names out there as we're passing out chili and interacting with potential members, and they are witnessing the cooperative and fun nature of credit unions.”

As the grand prize winner, Eagle Community qualified to compete in the Homestyle Division of ICS's 48th Annual World Championship Chili Cookoff in Las Vegas Oct. 24-26.

The $697 million, Oceanside, Calif.-based Pacific Marine Credit Union scooped up second place and earned $3,500 for Rady Children's Hospital San Diego. Pacific Marine was also second place in the overall ICS Homestyle chili competition and the XDI People's Choice for Chili.

The $855 million, Livermore, Calif.-based Operating Engineers Federal Credit Union was third and earned $1,500 for American Cancer Society.

The $3.37 billion Kinecta Federal Credit Union, based in Manhattan Beach, Calif., received the People's Choice for Best Booth for its colorful 1950's-inspired theme.

Other competing teams included:

• Foxy Cuisiners from the $215 million Cabrillo Credit Union of San Diego.

• 5 Alarm Chili from the $870 million Firefighters First Credit Union of Los Angeles.

• North County Jones and the Chili of Doom from the $59 million North County Credit Union of San Diego.

• Red Hot Chilies from the $187 million POPA Federal Credit Union based in Cerritos, Calif.

• Sweet and Sassy Chili Queens from the $200 million Tobyhanna Federal Credit Union based in Scranton, Pa.

• Spock's Highly Illogical Chili from the $776 million USE Credit Union of San Diego.

Instant Insights /

Credit Union Chili Cook-Off: Eagle Community Wins

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