Chili Showdown Seeks SGA Support

At the Nov. 15 SGA meeting, Grant Zarzour, a third-year medical student, asked the SGA to keep his event in mind when budgeting for the spring. Zarzour is in charge of organizing the second annual Gumbo/Chili Showdown.

While the Student Government Association contributed $4,500 to the first Showdown earlier this year, budget cuts have forced the SGA to reduce spending.

“I know [the SGA] didn’t have co-sponsorships this fall, and they may or may not happen [in the spring],” Zarzour said. “I don’t want to be presumptuous about there being money.”

Zarzour said he would be thrilled if the Showdown could receive another $4,500 from the SGA, but also says he fully understands the fiscal situation.

“Last year, that [$4,500] really put us over the top,” Zarzour said. The extra funds helped pay for publicity for the Showdown, which, according to Zarzour, was a significant contribution to the event’s success.

The SGA spring budget is still uncertain, so funding for the Gumbo/Chili Showdown is questionable. Organizations have until the first week of spring semester to make appropriations claims from fall semester, according to the SGA Executive Committee.

Appropriations Chair Sean Ramsey said during the meeting that funding this project could affect the funding for SGA Senate projects, which usually happen during the spring.

The discussion about funding during the meeting was limited because of the uncertainty of the SGA spring budget.

Even if the SGA is unable to fund the event, it will still take place. Many sponsors helped benefit the first Showdown, and Zarzour said they will reach out to even more sponsors this year.

The Gumbo/Chili Showdown, which is run entirely by University of South Alabama medical students and hosted by USA’s College of Medicine, is an event to raise money for a scholarship fund in memory of Regan Robinson Young.

Young was diagnosed with advanced cancer in her second year of medical school. Choosing to continue her studies despite a terminal diagnosis, Young died in 2007 just a few months before her expected date of graduation, according to a Press-Register story at the time.

The Regan Robinson Young scholarship fund is set up as a self-sustaining fund to benefit medical students.

“We want to make sure Regan’s scholarship can be awarded every year … and Regan’s memory is never lost,” Zarzour said.

The goal for the first Showdown was to have 20 teams and to break even. They ended up with 44 teams and made $15,000, according to Zarzour.

“A big reason for our success last year was SGA support,” he said.

Zarzour said their goal for this Showdown is 80 teams raising $30,000. The Showdown is also reaching out to local high schools to form teams this year, according to Zarzour.

Should the Showdown continue with its success, Zarzour said they would consider benefiting additional causes.

The Gumbo/Chili Showdown will take place March 6 from 12 to 4 p.m. More information can be found at their Web site, gumbochili.com.