Chili at the Nelson T. Gant House

Over the past two days the Nelson T. Gant non-profit organization held a chili dinner fundraiser.

The non-profit’s board has taken on the responsibility of preserving and restoring the Nelson T. Gant House in Zanesville. To do this it needs to raise money for operating expenses. The board’s secretary, Mike Jackson, said it is very important to preserve the Gant House for future generations.

"It’s a part of our history," Jackson said. "Growing up in the black neighborhoods and having things done by our forefathers we just feel it’s necessary and important to keep it going. And we’re the ones, our generation is the one who are working to maintain so the next generation will have something."

One of the many fundraisers that organization has each year is its annual chili dinner. Over the past two days over 200 cups of chili were served at a price of $6 a cup.

"The community has always supported us and we’re very thankful for that," Jackson said. "We just want to keep on doing what we’re doing, and hopefully the community will continue to support us."

While this year’s chili fundraiser is over, the non-profit group is still here ready to educate people on the history of slavery in the United States.