Community

Rotary's annual Chili Cookoff raises over $11,000 for first responders

The Floyd County Volunteer Fire Department won the Judges’ Choice Award at the 2026 Chili Cookoff, which was held at Citizens during its Boots and Broadband Bash on Oct. 17. The Floyd County Sheriff's Office won the People's Choice Award.

The winning team from the 2026 Chili Cookoff, the Floyd County Volunteer Fire Department. Photo by Tanja Harmon

Each year, the Floyd Rotary plans the chili cookoff as a fundraiser to benefit local first responder organizations, including Floyd County Emergency Medical Services, Floyd County Volunteer Fire Department, and the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office. A panel of judges chooses one winner, and community members choose another.

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A total of $11,350 was raised during the 2026 event. The total will be split three ways to benefit each organization equally.

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This year’s panel of judges included Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Branscom, Citizens’ Executive Vice President (Customer Relations and Marketing) Lori Saltus, and Floyd Times Editor Abby Whitt.

Community members purchased tickets to vote for People’s Choice, raising about $100 that was officially awarded to the Sheriff’s Office; however, the Sheriff’s Office team decided to donate those proceeds to the Fire Department.

**Congressman Morgan Griffith with the Sheriff's Office team, which won People's Choice during the cookoff.** Photo by Abby Whitt

Throughout the evening, Carter Shelor taught line dancing from the stage. Visitors, including U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith, dropped in to mingle and enjoy chili as the temperatures dropped outside.

Griffith, who represents Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, was wrapping up a day on the campaign trail and said it was nice to be out in the community “where people are raising a little bit of money to help out our various first responders.”

“I’m happy to be here,” he said, adding that he’s feeling good about the upcoming election.