Of course you do is the appropriate answer. And since your passport isn’t ready and Priceline doesn’t have great deals on plane tickets to Afghanistan, I have a better way for you to “virtually” be a part of this!!!

Let me explain – Sunday morning, I get up (no hangover – yay), insert the coffee IV, listen to the wonderful sound of my laptop coming to life again (I need to name it),
throw in a load of laundry (1 of 20), feed the pets & then sit down to read my e-mail. The coolest e-mail was waiting for me in my in-box this morning. The head of Soldiers’ Angels asked me if I would be interested in sponsoring a team for a chili cook-off in Afghanistan. The unit was looking for 8 angel (anyone who helps is an angel) teams to sponsor a Labor Day cook-off. That was enough to rope me in right there! Heck, why shouldn’t they have a morale booster like a cook-off? I then e-mailed Patti back and said that I would personally find the 8 teams myself and mail the ingredients that each team will need &/or requests in one large shipment on August 10th. Oy- what do I get myself into sometimes?! Sorry – beer based chili recipes – you will have to find another recipe.

OK – so you think this a pretty cool thing by now but this gets even better. The group of about 200 will charge $2 a bowl and all the proceeds will go towards baby gifts for babies born to deployed soldiers in the unit. Yep – my heart melted.

I already have one team in place, “Team Oxlot from Covington” and need at least 7 more!!! This is a bleg (blog beg) to rally up your friends, co-workers, family, Aunt Edna- whoever can get some beans & hot sauce to me this week & join me & the troops in a unique competition.

They promise to send pictures and report to us about the day & better yet….the winners!
Let’s give this unit a Cajun style cook-off they will never forget!!! FYI – Crawfish probably won’t travel well!

Call me or write & I will get you the 411 on it ASAP! gretaperry@gmail.com or (985)807-4805 (no heavy breathers please – it eats up my minutes). PS donations for shipping are welcome too!
(c/p at NOLA.com)

Update Monday Morning & a big WOW. I never knew there was a Chili Society. Well now there will be a chili society getting their wings and becoming Soldiers’ Angels!!! Louisiana – you still aren’t off the hook!!! And no – you don’t have to go to Afghanistan

Hi Greta,
I happened to see your bleg and had to respond!
My wife and I are competition chili cooks with the International Chili Society and we’d like to help you!
With your ok, I can forward your cookoff info to a blog that will get it seen by THOUSANDS of chili cooks around the world! You could end up with more than you need…but that’s ok….
I’m trying to understand this….you want us to go to Afghanistan???? I’d be happy to….and my stuff all travels well……just let me know….I don’t think my wife would want to go….but I definitely would!
Eme and let me know what we can do to help!
Michael “Mad Mike” Freedman