Area Boy Scouts from Troop 184 were covered up to their elbows in flour as they learned the craft of making homemade noodles for the annual Boy Scout Chili and Chicken Noodle Soup Dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 5. at the Elks, Lodge, 1120 Kansas Ave.

With 200 pounds of flour donated by Stafford flour, and 42 dozen eggs, the group of parents and scouts spent most of last Saturday, mixing, kneading, cutting and drying noodles. All parents and the pack must volunteer.

"All of the boys have to help," said Cindy Phillips, longtime volunteer. "We’ll serve 600-1,000 people. There is a friendly competition to see who sells the most tickets."

They will also sell gallons ahead of time and already, they have sold 60 gallons of each.

Phillips said that people just love the noodles. The boys will use the money raised to pay for camp, so that parents don’t have to. Also, the money will help pay for badges and support Boy Scout activities.

This is the 41st annual chili and chicken noodle soup feed. In the past, all of the mixing of the noodles was done by hand, but two years ago, the troop purchased a machine that mixes the eggs and flour. Still, much hand work remains. The dough will be kneaded and then rolled flat.

The noodles will be cut into wide strips that are then fed into a manual pasta maker. It takes at least 24 hours for the pasta to dry.

The pasta will be laid flat on tables eight layers thick.

However, the boys were having fun. They said they liked making the noodles.

Chili will also be served. Darwood Schloemer and Dennis Smith are the chili cookers, and their work begins early on Sunday.

In addition, each boy must also bring two cakes and two pies.