SHARON — A framed obituary of the Edward K. Baxter Memorial Library’s namesake hangs near the red-brick building’s back entrance and, on Friday night, that picture rested just above a plastic table holding tins of homemade chili and bags of jalapeño cornbread.

Whether Baxter, a Dartmouth Medical School graduate in the mid-19th century who eventually moved Sharon in 1880, might have enjoyed a bowl or two of vegan chili in his day, we may not know. But Sharon residents certainly did on Friday.

From 4:30 to 7 p.m., two of the library’s trustees, Kit Hood and Sandy Johnston, sold quarts of volunteer-made chili and cornbread for $15. The chili sale was a fundraiser, with the proceeds going right into the library’s budget, according to Hood.

“We try to make $5,000 to $6,000 a year in fundraising,” Hood said.

While the town owns the building and pays the salary of the only librarian, fundraisers like the chili event support services like its interlibrary loan system and for the museum and park passes that members can use for free.

Friday night was busy. Hood said they’d received 29 preorders for the chili and cornbread and that roughly 20 other people showed up in the first half-hour to buy some as well. She said she was happy with the turnout and that she was considering turning the chili fundraiser into an annual event.

The library’s chili efforts haven’t always been so successful. Hood noted that the trustees had tried a homemade chili sale in 2019, though that time they sat at a booth outside in the cold and had a miserable time.

“It might’ve been 20 degrees out,” Hood said. “The cornbread was blowing off the table, so it’s much nicer (doing this) inside.”

About 12 other Sharon residents volunteered to help make the chili, and there were several options for buyers to choose from, including beef, poultry, vegetarian and vegan chilis.

Carl Hemphill, a Sharon resident, walked in around 5:45 p.m. and bought three quarts, telling Hood and Johnston that he was looking for “one that’s really spicy.”

Hemphill, balancing nearly a gallon of chili and two bags of cornbread in his arms, said he was happy to support the library but was really pining for the chili.

“We didn’t have any dinner,” he said. “We’re eating this tonight.”

Ray Couture can be reached with story ideas and questions at 1994rbc@gmail.com.

]]>