By J.R. TIDWELL / Editor

The Taste of Chilton County is seeking vendors and sponsors for the upcoming third annual event, which will be held on Oct. 14 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Senior Connection, located at 304 Park Plaza in Clanton.

Around 350 people attended the 2018 event, and plans are in place to accommodate an even larger crowd this year.

The Rotary Club of Chilton County and Senior Connection partner to host the Taste of Chilton County each year. Around $14,000 was raised at the 2018 event.

“Senior Connection has a beautiful location here in downtown Clanton,” said Gordon Swenson, the president of the local chapter of Rotary Club. “When we had the initial idea for the event, we were looking for a place to hold the (Taste of Chilton.) We fell right in with Senior Connection. It’s a great marriage. We do the vendors, and they do the sponsors. We work together to put on the event. The Senior Connection people have been just super on helping the organization and providing the necessary bodies to make it happen.”

The sponsorships include three levels: Platinum, Gold and Silver.

There is no cost to register as a vendor for the event outside of bringing enough food to hand out samples to a large crowd.

For more information on sponsorship costs and accompanying perks or to register as a vendor, please contact Swenson at (205) 907-4219 or Vanessa McKinney of Senior Connection at (205) 755-8227.

Attendees get a chance to sample food from local establishments. Anyone who attends also gets the opportunity to help judge the vendors’ food in three categories: best savory, best sweet and best overall. Tickets for the event will be $25 each.

According to Swenson, proceeds from last year’s event benefited Senior Connection, the Department of Human Resources foster care program, third graders across Chilton County and Butterfly Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center.

Rotary Club sent six local students to the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) camp event earlier this year with money raised by the Taste of Chilton County.

Senior Connection uses some of the proceeds to fund activities and trips made by local seniors who are members of the organization.

Rotary Club and Senior Connection purchased 10 Chromebooks earlier this year that went to classrooms at local schools to benefit students. These were purchased with funds raised at the Taste of Chilton County as well.