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Heaven is attending a chocolate contest and having money to spend By
Jennifer Pinnock
A thick chocolate aroma filled the air and my mouth began watering as I looked at the tables lined with chocolate desserts at the 14th annual Valentine Pro/Am Chocolate Festival, Saturday at the Bullen Center in Logan. Being an uncontrollable chocoholic, I was in heaven. I wandered through the room to pick which of these desserts would satisfy my sweet tooth before the night was over. The chocolate festival is a fund-raiser for the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, Logan Chapter, and the money raised helps pay for client health check-ups and educational programs through Planned Parenthood. The event raises about $10,000 to $12,000 per year, according to Ann Toolson, Logan Planned Parenthood clinic manager. Coupon books that contained nine dessert coupons were sold for $5 and allowed the public to sample nine of the 43 mouth-watering desserts on display. Volunteers were at each table collecting coupons and serving samples. "This event is fabulous because it brings the community together and it is for a very good cause," said one festival volunteer. Participants entered the amateur division, professional division, or the parent/child division and donated two cakes, two dozen cookies or brownies, or 3 pounds of chocolates. Half of the entry was judged and cut into bite-size pieces for public tasting and the other half was auctioned off to the highest bidder in the fundraiser. Vonda Jump, who has voluntarily judged the festival for the last four years, said all entries are judged on presentation, texture, taste and creative use of chocolate. "I love to judge and the event is great, but by the end I'm almost sick of chocolate," said Jump. Awards were given to the top desserts in each category and the public voted on their favorite amateur and professional desserts. A People's Choice award was given in each category. Winners received a ribbon and a prize donated by merchants. Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Zsiray won second place in the amateur cookie division Saturday. She entered the festival because she likes to cook and thinks it is fun. A silent auction was held for all amateur entries. People were encouraged to bid on their favorite dessert so they could take it home. The minimum bid was $20, and one amateur dessert was sold at $45. A public auction was held for the other categories with an auctioneer calling out prices and people in the audience holding up signs to bid. Other items such as dinner for two at the Grapevine, a body massage from Arkana, and two tickets to the Vienna Choir Boys were also auctioned. Raffle tickets were sold for $1 to the public and a drawing was held. Prizes for the raffle included Aggie Gymnastics tickets and a grandfather clock. According to the festival web site, the fundraiser was started in 1987 by Mary Leavitt and Mary Piette and has been successful in Cache Valley ever since. Piette, who brought the idea to Utah, said people have a passion for chocolate and this would draw them to the event. This event is a great way to get in the spirit for Valentine's Day and worthwhile, not only to satisfy chocolate cravings, but to raise money for a good cause.
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