Celia Puz, a volunteer for Butler's Operation Spay and Neuter, hands a platter of chili cups to Pat Potter of Butler on Saturday. Potter said she was excited to pick her favorite.

The 30th year of a chili cook-off in Butler delivered several gallons more chili this year.

Every winter, volunteers with Butler's Operation Spay and Neuter join forces with Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church to deliver seemingly endless pots of chili to the masses. Previous years saw six or seven participating organizations, while this year's event set a record with nine batches of chili entered for consideration.

Attendees exchanged cash for nine cups of chili, one each from the nine competitors. The cups were unlabeled save for a ticket with a number corresponding to each entry. Diners each put their favorite chili's ticket in a bucket to vote.

Thus, the chefs at Butler Memorial Hospital won the competition.

The hospital boasts several titles from past years' cook-offs and took it again this year. Even before vote-counting began, organizers said that particular entry was likely the chili to beat this year.

The money raised by the event is split between the church and the spay/neuter organization.

“We are just so thankful for every dollar that comes in,” said Merry Meloy, the church's pastor.

The church uses the leftover chili and the money to help put on its weekly Wednesday night community dinner program, its Sunday bag lunch program and other service projects.

The animal nonprofit provides financial assistance for people in Butler County and surrounding areas who need to spay and neuter their pets but are having difficulty affording it.

The group also regularly brings mobile spay and neuter clinics to the area and partners with various local veterinarians.

Cathy Brickner, a board member for the spay and neuter group, said they always enjoy a crowd of about 130 people at least. She credits the event's success to its mission.

“All the money earned from this goes right back to the people of Butler,” Brickner said.

Natalie McKay and her husband, Jon, served as lead organizers behind the cook-off. While Natalie dished out chili from the church's kitchen, Jon stepped away for a moment to comment on this year's undertaking. It takes a tremendous amount of organization, he said.

“I don't think we've kept track of ticket sales over the years,” he said. “But it's been a good one this year.”

The nine participating organizations this year were Butler Memorial Hospital, Slippery Rock University, Fairground Market, Butler Area Vocational-Technical School, Cannella Cafe, Firehouse Subs, Freedom Farms, King's Family Restaurant and Monroe Hotel.