A cooking contest Saturday night will help a group primarily of students serve homes in West Virginia this summer.

The 5th Annual Westborough Appalachia Service Project Chili Challenge is from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 11 Willow St.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Children under age 6 will be admitted free. There is a $25 family cap. Tickets are available at the door. For more information, e-mail dcallahan12345@yahoo.com.

It's the latest fundraiser to help about 84 students at Westborough’s First United Methodist Church and St. Luke the Evangelist Parish go to West Virginia to repair homes over July 6 to July 14.

"Five years ago, a number of parents and youth from the town wanted to have a fundraiser that would attract everybody from the Westborough area, not just parents of kids going," resident Dennis Callahan, one of the parents involved, said today.

"And because everyone loves chili, it was a natural."

About 20 people will offer their chili, with 15 of them in the competition, Callahan said.

The top three chilis will receive prizes, he said. Bertucci's Restaurant, Tavolino's Ristorante and Sachi Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar have donated gift certificates, he said. Starbucks has donated coffee.

About 200 people are expected to attend, Callahan said.

"Everyone seems to love that type of food, but there's never any chili contests or Mexican food contests in the area," he said.

"It's not 'Who can make the hottest chili?' It's 'Who can make the chili that people like to eat.'

"You'll get to try everyone's chili, and then you can vote for the chili you like the best. And, everyone gets a complete chili dinner."

The dinner will include chili, corn bread, salad, desert and drinks.

Callahan said he went on last summer's trip, working in Man, W.Va.

"I was talking to one of the guys who lives in the home that we were working on. And he asked me, 'How much do these kids get paid?' Because they have to come all the way down from Massachusetts. I said, 'They don't get paid at all.' The guy was incredulous. And then I said, 'Not only do they not get paid, they have to raise money to even come here,'" Callahan said.