For about 22 years chili has been used to further the education of local students.

Vicksburg Kiwanis members worked all day Friday to cook and serve chili during the annual fundraiser the club puts on to raise money for Key Club scholarships.

“We had a great day, beautiful weather and had a great turnout,” chairman David Blackledge said.

The Junius Ward Johnson Memorial YMCA, 267 YMCA Place, hosted the serving area for plates of chili, cheese, crackers, Fritos, and oatmeal pies during lunch and dinner.

Vicksburg Kiwanis members and 25 to 30 Key Club members from both Porters Chapel Academy and Vicksburg High School organized the assembly line at 7 a.m.

“Even though they were off school today,” Tom Osburn, newsletter editor and head cook for Vicksburg Kiwanis, said.

Osburn started cooking at 6 a.m. At that time around 700 plates were prepared for delivery and 100 plates were made for pick up. At the end of the lunch shift over 1,200 plates were sold, and the group thought they’d reach at least 1,500 by the end of the day.

“At lunch we were about 100 servings above where we were last year at lunch so we’ll come out a little ahead,” Osburn said. “We seem to be pretty locked in at somewhere around 1,500 to 1,600 from year to year.”

At $8 a plate and with the ad revenue the club generated from their flyers, the estimated total raised was over $11,000, and once expenses are taken care of they should still reach their goal.

“We’ll probably have $10,000 in profit,” member Donna Osburn said. “That’s our goal is to give out $10,000 in scholarships.”

Vicksburg Kiwanis promises at least $5,000 in scholarships to Key Club members every year. Last year they were able to give $8,000 in scholarships.

“A lot of it depends on how much money we make right here,” Tom Osburn said.

Typically the money is split into about 12 scholarships ranging from $250 to $1,250. The Key Club students apply for the scholarship by writing an essay. A Kiwanis committee evaluates the students’ service hours, years of membership, leadership roles and financial need to distribute the scholarships.

Overall, the day was a success financially and in teaching their children and the students about service.

“I think it’s good to get them involved and let them see what giving back to the community is all about,” Tom Osburn said.