Chili, costumes, charity

Taryn Walker (right) won first place for her chili. Sandra Stansbury (left) came in third. D2 Cynthia Udeh place second.

It wouldn’t be Halloween without crazy costumes and warm bowls of chili.

Fifteen chili entries — with ingredients as varied as lentils, turkey, squash, bison and beef — quickly disappeared as a roomful of staff, faculty and students filled up at the “battle of the bowls” contest.

This year’s Chili Cook-off champions are the lucky recipients of Gold, Silver and Bronze Spoon awards, as well as bragging rights: Taryn Walker, student affairs, first place; D2 Cynthia Udeh, second place; and Sandra Stansbury and Missy Stebbins, financial services, third place.

All that eating, with chili sampling for $3 or with chips and drink included for $5, added up to $363 for the State Employee Charitable Campaign, which benefits those in need across Texas.

The lunchtime get-together wrapped up with awe-inspiring entertainment: a highly popular costume contest.

Optimus Prime, also known as Akeira “Cookie” Warner, D2, took first place. Leilane Jan, student affairs, zoomed into second as a race car driver.

The event ended with a nightmare — Nightmare Before Christmas, that is — with Cristina Rivera and Sally Thompson, comprehensive dentistry, dressed as the film’s ghoulish characters.

The judging panel included John Walker, pediatric dentistry; Dr. Robert Augsburger, endodontics; Cheryl Howell, library; Terryl House, information technology; Jane Cotter, dental hygiene; and Dr. Kathy Svoboda, biomedical sciences.