The Kennett Chocolate Lovers Festival, held on Feb. 21, raised $16,500 for the Community Impact Fund of United Way of Southern Chester County. The proceeds will help fund programs at over 28 local non-profits helping our neighbors in need.

More than 1,000 attendees enjoyed 150 kinds of chocolate treats. “We can’t thank enough the adults, professionals, and students who baked for us,” said Carrie Freeman, United Way CEO. “Without their entries, this festival couldn’t happen. We also appreciate our sponsors – Bank of America, W.L. Gore, and Union Street Financial and TD Bank.”

The first-place winners in the five amateur divisions won Corian cutting boards and $100 gift certificates to area restaurants -- Twelves, Buckley Tavern, Two Stones, and Platinum Dining restaurants in Delaware. Ribbons were awarded for first, second and third place to Professional, Amateur, and Student divisions for cakes, cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and candies.

Top Professional winners in each category were: The Country Butcher for their Double Diablo Brownies; The Gables at Chadds Ford for their Lucy B’s Chocolate Hazelnut Cake; Heavenly Sweet Chocolates for their Nancy’s Heavenly Caramel Pretzel Bites; Heavenly Sweet Chocolates for their Nancy’s Heavenly Milk & Dark Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Sea Salt; and The Gables at Chadds Ford for their Charlie’s Chocolate Cupcakes.

Two professionals scored big with three ribbon each -- Nancy Orlando from West Chester’s Heavenly Sweet Chocolates, and Pam Matthews from Kennett’s Country Butcher.

Top Amateur winners in each category were: Patti Beauchesne for her Chocolate Peanut-Butter-Ganache Brownies; Michelle Cope for her Michelle’s Sinfully Delicious Dark Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse; Alison Snyder for her Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles; Lisa Gross for her Lisa’s Dark Chocolate Raspberry Bar; and Roberta Carlson for her I’ll Stop the World and Malt with You cupcakes. The top baker from the amateur division was Lisa Gross from Lincoln University, who won a first and second for her cookies, and a second for her cake.

Kennett High School’s Family Consumer Science and the Pastry Arts students garnered seven of the 15 top spots for student entries. Individual first-place student winners were: Madison Bowe for her Chocolate-Mint Bars; and Emily Schmidt for her Chocolate-Orange Cake.

“We netted $1,000 more than last year, so it is great to see the proceeds growing year after year,” Freeman said.