On Saturday afternoon, Chaffey had its annual tailgate party. Everybody was there: the Panther, the basketball team, the dance team, the clubs, family members. The parking lot in front of the stadium was bright with red tents, balloons and tables laden with salsa and chips. The Ravelers provided a background of good old fashion rock and roll.
The fragrances of fajitas, onions and peppers drew a long and snaking line of alumni, parents and students to a dinner catered by Las Brisas of Chino. They had provided dinners at several college events, including a recent event on the Chino Campus.
Despite or perhaps because of the small charge of a dollar, a large crowd gathered around seven tables offering chips and a chance to taste the seven entries to the salsa contest. Others gathered around the Blazing Wings Challenge for the chance to be one of six contestants in a wing eating contest, sure to be spicy, messy and frantic.
The dance team performed and then invited people to dance to the lively music and the line dance that formed was topped off when Chaffey Governing Board Member Katie Roberts came down strutting, swaying and finger snapping.
Around the perimeter of the action, club tables manned by the ASCC, the Child Development Center. Unity, Together Plus, AMan, AWoman, PAGE, the Pre Med Society, GSA, and the Future Teachers offered activities, popcorn, pastries and treats,
some for a donation, some for free!Meanwhile, in the judging booth, Governing Board member Katie Roberts, Auto Tech faculty Sherm Taylor, Ann Perez of the Admissions and Records office, Chaffey Foundation Board member Loren Sanchez and ASCC president James
Applewhite all dutifully took notes and carefully entered their judgments of all the salsas. Many, many bottles of water were emptied during their ordeal. At stake were $100 and $50 gift cards and baskets for the best overall, fan favorite, hottest and most original salsas.At a nearby table, a drawing for the Blazing Wings Challenge, sponsored by the Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar, produced six cheering and enthusiastic contestants, including Chaffey Foundation Board Member Wayne Scaggs, Dan Kelly, Moses Estrada, nursing major Alexandria Peterson, Scott Earl and speech pathology major, Breana Musella. The men proved to be the bigger pigs, with first place going to Dan Kelley (who was also there to support the football team), 2nd to Scott Earl and 3rd to Moses Estrada. Kelly won a t-shirt and a gift certificate to Buffalo Wild Wings and Earl and Estrada also won gift certificates.
When all appetites had been sated and all dancers at rest, the Chaffey Panther showed up to lead a parade of fans into Grigsby Field to cheer the football team!
Although the Panther football team was behind at half-time, the vocal crowd cheered as the winners of the salsa contest proved to be a “family affair”: hottest salsa was won by Roger Layne (Trevor Layne’s Dad), most original went to Eva Ramirez (executive assistant) and best overall (and fan favorite) went to Kathy Plante (Aaron Plante’s Mom).
Also announced at halftime were the two most spirited fans: #2, Monique Reyes (Danny Reyes’ Mom) and #1, Dietra Eddies (Jahmal Rover’s Mom).
A good time was certainly had by all.
