By Michael Stoll
mike.stoll@austindailyherald.com

The Valero Port Arthur Refinery held its annual United Way Gumbo and Chili Cook-off on Friday. Nine teams competed in this year’s fundraiser, all vying to win in the categories of gumbo, chili and best overall.

“We’ve been doing it at least 10 years or more,” said Barbara Phillips, Public Affairs Manager. “This is the celebration that we hold each year toward the end of our United Way campaign.”

Each year, Valero holds a campaign for the United Way in which employees make donations which are then matched 50 percent by Valero. Last year, the total funds amounted to $860,000. Phillips said this year’s funds have so far raised more than $650,000, not including Valero’s matching donation.

“We’re very proud of the donations our employees make,” Phillips said. “We are great supporters of the United Way and we feel it’s important to help people in need in our community and our employees step up. This year they’ve stepped up even more because they see the need is greater this year because of Hurricane Harvey. We’re looking forward to completing our campaign and being able to provide these funds to the United Way.”

The fundraising efforts of the Valero employees were greatly appreciated by Janie Johnson, CEO of United Way of Mid and South Jefferson County.

“They’ve raised an enormous amount of compassion and turned that into funds that will help support programs throughout our area that will help thousands and thousands of people,” she said. “Our budget for this coming year is $1.3 million, so you can see the huge impact that Valero has on the campaign and the funding we are able to provide. But they’re more than that. They come out to events and they’re hands-on. They have volunteers involved on every level with the United Way and our partner agencies.”

Johnson got to serve as one of the judges for the cook-off, and the competition was fierce. The nine teams, with names like “Red, White, and Roux” and “Team Ramrod,” served ladlefuls of chili and gumbo to hungry Valero employees as they sought their support to win.

Among them was computer specialist Stephanie Johnson of “Looking for Fun and Feeling Groovy.” A former winner in the gumbo category, Johnson stuck with her tried and true recipe.

“It’s pretty much the same recipes I’ve been using throughout the years,” she said, “It’s andouille sausage, green onion sausage and of course chicken.”

Maintenance director Cory Moss, a previous winner in the chili category, took a new approach.
“I try something different every year,” he said. “There’s a little bacon, a little pork, some ground beef, beef roast and brisket and a special seasoning of chili peppers, black pepper, red peppers and anything else I could find in the pantry.”

For Moss, the competition is worthwhile.

“It’s just a great event,” he said, “The United Way is a big part of the Valero culture and it’s great to get the employees together and have a little fun, do a little cooking and enjoy a day of supporting the United Way.”

The teams that were this year’s winners were:
– Gumbo: Looking for Fun and Feeling Groovy
– Chili: The Sweet Heat
– Overall: I Love the 80’s
But the biggest winner from this event was the United Way.
“We’re very blessed in this area,” Johnson said.