Niagara-on-the-Lake town staff celebrated Halloween while raising money for a good cause.

Sixty town employees gathered in the Mary Snider Room at Centennial Arena last Thursday for the annual chili cook-off. All money raised plus deductions from employee paycheques will be donated to United Way Niagara.

The town employees have been supporting the United Way through special events and payroll deductions for several years, said United Way’s campaign manager Alysha Angrilli.

“It’s really awesome to see a group of people come together because that’s what United Way is: we’re bringing businesses, donors, volunteers and community members together for one great cause,” Angrilli told The Lake Report.

Through special events and payroll deductions, the town donated $6,064.50 to the organization last year.

This year’s chili cook-off raised $185, and the total donation amount will be available later, said town's secretary-treasurer Ashlea Carter, who helped organize the event.

Carter said the chili cook-off was an additional way to help United Way as most of the fundraising comes from the town staff’s payroll deductions.

“We’ve got a great team,” she said. “We had a lot of help in just putting on this little event."

Lord Mayor Betty Disero was one of the three judges who selected the best chili, along with fire chief Nick Ruller and interim chief administrative officer Sheldon Randall.

Bobbie-Jo Talarico, an administrative assistant with the municipality, won.

Disero praised town staff for always working hard, staying after hours and doing more than what’s expected of them.

“It's the fact that we’re such as a small organization, less than 100 people, but we’re small but mighty,” Disero told The Lake Report.