ESCANABA – The Terrace Bay Inn and Resort was awarded the People’s Choice Award last night for the best chili at the United Way Soup’r Chili Challenge. Twelve chili and 12 soups were prepared for the event in Escanaba. Hereford & Hops was named the best soup with a Chessy Steak & Potato Soup.

The event is the kickoff of the United Way’s fall campaign. The agency hopes to raise $250-thousand dollars.

“We will be our for the next few months, right to the end of December, asking our community support of the United Way campaign,” said Julie Mallard, executive director of the United Way of Delta County.

The judges last night gave top honors to Five Bridges Pub in the restaurant division for their Beer Cheese Chili and Coral Reef Grille for it Beef Dumpling Soup.

In the non-restaurant division, the judges picked “Pick Rick” Micheau for his White Chicken Chili and Delta County Credit Union for their Cheeseburger Soup.

The theme this year was Story Time. The Great Lakes First Federal Credit Union was named the best booth display with “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”