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A chili cook-off and a concert by the bands Cartel and Liquid Ginger will highlight the fourth annual Savannah Chili Bowl on Sunday, December 6, from 12 to 4 p.m. in Forsyth Park in downtown Savannah. Presented by the “Help Save One of Our Own” non-profit group, the Chili Bowl IV is a fund-raiser to assist two Savannah families with massive medical bills.

This is the fourth year local singer Ginger Fawcett and co-founder Danny Mitchell have helped sponsor the event to assist a local family. The event will feature a chili competition among some of Savannah’s best restaurants and cooking teams; a flag football tournament; live entertainment; and children’s activities.

For the first time, this year’s event will benefit two local residents. The first beneficiary is Mason Morgan. Mason was born two months premature on July 17, 2002 with gastroschisis -- a condition in which a baby is born with some of his intestines outside his abdomen. At two months of age he suffered liver failure. Mason has endured a six-organ transplant operation and 79 blood transfusions. He has battled numerous blood infections and now suffers from lymphoma.

“Mason has bi-weekly labs, monthly scopes, quarterly CT scans and frequent trips to Miami,” said Fawcett. “This family has spent thousands of dollars on medical, travel and lodging, and they deserve some help.”

The second beneficiary is Reggie Sheppard, a 20-year employee of Spanky’s Southside, a husband and father of two children. Sheppard needs a kidney transplant.
“The procedure will cost more than $100,000, which must be pre-paid before the surgery,” said Mitchell.

The chili cook-off will include teams from variety of Savannah area restaurants and some informal cooking teams. The chili judges will be Bobby and Jamie Deen from “A Lady and Sons” restaurant and The Food Network.

“Chili fans can purchase a wrist band that will allow them to visit the restaurant booths and sample all the different varieties of chili,” said Fawcett.

The chili sampling wrist bands will be on sale for $10 for adults, $8 for the military and $5 for children under eleven. In addition to chili, there will be other foods and beverages available for purchase.

The afternoon-long live entertainment will feature headline band Cartel, local favorite Liquid Ginger and other acts.

Last year’s event raised more than $23,000 to help pay the medical bills of another Savannah child with a life threatening illness.
“Help Save One of Our Own” is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

For additional information, contact Ginger Fawcett at 961-9037 or Michael Sullivan at 598-2325 or visit www.973kissfm.com.