Lion’s Club Spicin’ It Up for Good Cause

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Lion’s Club Spicin’ It Up for Good Cause

November 24

18:21 2024

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Story & Photos By Amy Meyer

More than two dozen people took on the Ol’ Gringo Hot Sauce Challenge to see who could take the heat while raising money for the Mineral Wells Center of Life.

The Noon Lions Club hosted the event at The Crazy Water Hotel and raised more than $10,000 for people needing a little extra help this holiday season.

***Participants made their way through the challenge eating chicken tenders dredged in spicy sauces.***

The contest started with 28 participants who were required to eat a Chicken Express Tender Strip doused in hot sauce in under 60 seconds.

After round four the participants began dropping out as the heat of the sauce increased and Cynthia Nelson, who was representing the hotel, became the first to throw her hands up and back away from contest.

***Eric Walters was the man who walked away the Ol’ Gringo Chili Co. Hot Sauce Challenge Top Prize***

***Eating a whole habanero became part of the challenge when the sauce alone wasn’t enough to stop participants from daring the spice.***

After round six, which required participants to eat a whole habanero pepper on top of the spicy sauced piece of chicken, fourteen stomachs of steel remained.

The next round required contestants to eat the sauced chicken piece and the hottest of the hot peppers, known as a Carolina Reaper to advance. The Reaper on the Scoville Scale of Heat can exceed 1.4 million units and as high as 2 million.

Finally, after almost 10 rounds, there were five participants who remained, which included Juan Saucedo of the Mineral Wells Police Officers Association who opted out of the final contest to the title.

The final challenge required participants to eat ten jalapeno peppers and the fastest to do so would be crowned the winner.

***Cynthia Nelson gladly accepted defeat as she acknowledged her departure to the crowd.***

Finishing in 4th Place was Mari Hernandez of Texas AC Heat & Refrigeration. Third place went to Michael Johnson of Diamond Pharmacy and 2nd place was Josh Lopez from Ref’s Sports Bar & Grill.

First place and the winner of 100 bottles of hot sauce adorned with his face was Eric Walters of Arrow A/C.

Walters might have walked away the champion, but the big winner of the event were the kids of the community and the Center of Life.