Festival to reap 'sweet' rewards

Chocolate, wine tasting and live entertainment will all be a part of the seventh annual Chocolate Fest.\nThe event is sponsored by Options for Better Living, a non-profit profit organization that helps mentally, emotionally and physically disabled people and their families.\n"As much chocolate as you can consume in three hours," said Mary Beth Roedl, board president for Options For Living.\nThe festival will feature the Old City Trio and the Dewdaddies, who will be playing a variety of honky tonk and bluegrass music.\nThe festival also involves a chocolate creations contest where members of the community can compete with their sweetest treats. First, second and third place will be awarded and judged on good flavoring and chocolate taste, use of chocolate, texture, the aroma and overall dessert display. The nine categories for the event include incredible cakes, cheesecake creations, brownies and bars, cookies, candy, white chocolate wonders, pies, cooking by kids and restaurants.\nAmong those entering the contest is Bloomington High School South's advanced family and consumer science class.\nBHSS has competed the last seven years and placed first in at least one category each year.\n"The kids learned about it, and it's one of the things that they get excited about and look forward to," said Teresa Tresslar, BHSS family and consumer science teacher. \nAlong with wine tasting from Oliver Winery, Upland Brewery will offer chocolate beer tasting, which was invented for the Chocolate Fest.\n"The base of the beer is traditional oatmeal-style, and we added organic chocolate extract to give it a real chocolate flavor," said Andrew St. Lawrence, a brewer at Upland. "It's a dark stout with a bit more body to it."\nThere will also be two silent auctions-- one for adults and one for children. The auctions offer baked good donations from local businesses.\nThe Chocolate Fest began seven years ago as a way to educate the community about Options for Better Living.\n"The disabilities range greatly in type of disability from least severe to most severe. The family members need support and rest," said Kimberly Ruff, co-chair of the event. "They need to be employed and have other parts of their life that they can live."\nLast year's Chocolate Fest earned $17,000 for Options for Better Living, and this year's goal is set at $20,000.\n"It just keeps growing every year -- last year we had 1,400 people attend," Roedl said.\nThe Chocolate Fest will take place at 5 p.m Saturday in the convention center, 302 S. College Ave. This year's event will also have a Valentine's Day theme.\nTickets are $14 at the door or can be purchased in advance for $10 at Bloomingfoods, The Chocolate Emporium, Kroger, O' Malia's, Sunrise Boxoffice, Bedford Chamber of Commerce or Options For Better Living.\n"It is truly one of the best run events that I have been involved with," said Ruff. "Behind the scenes, it is helping people with disabilities, but on the surface, people are just having a great time."\n-- Contact staff writer Amber Nicholas at amrnicho@indiana.edu.