Barbecues squeal for Boys and Girls Club
By Laura Collins
Published in News on April 11, 2010 1:50 AM
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News-Argus/MITCH LOEBER
Sam's Club team member Jeff Godbey picks pork off a hot grill Saturday during the "Pig in the Park" cook-off at Old Waynesborough Historical Village. Godbey said he and his teammates were up all night cooking. The cook-off was a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County.
They're not just good at fighting crime.
At Saturday's "Pig in the Park" barbecue cook-off, the Goldsboro Police Department team won first place out of 13 teams that participated in the event at Old Waynesborough Historical Village.
At first, it was a tie between the police department and the BB&T team, but a coin flip settled that. The police department's team won a trophy and $200 but donated the money back to the Boys & Girls Club.
Investigator Jeremy Sutton, his father-in-law Mike Lee and Cpl. Dave Cloitier started cooking their 100-pound hog at about midnight.
"We're the only team out here that cooked on wood," Sutton said. "It's the only way to go."
The three described their barbecue as a vinegar-based sauce over smoked meat -- a "first place taste."
Third place went to Haulin' Hog Cooking Team. Haulin' Hog is a local catering business that specializes in barbecue and the team was made up of co-owner John Kearney and his father, Johnny Kearney.
"I think it's our sauce. It's a secret recipe, but it's vinegar-based, eastern North Carolina sauce," John Kearney said, and added that he's happy with the third place finish. "We were guaranteed at least a 13th place finish. But we came out here to have fun for a good cause."
The team said they started setting up about 3 p.m. Friday and began cooking around 11:30 p.m. They cooked their 105-pound pig on a gas cooker Johnny Kearney built. The team also won first place in the Showmanship Award.
Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Mary Ann Dudley said the event proved to be a success and organizers hope to bring it back again next year.
"We're amazed at the community support," she said. "I don't think we've been turned down from anyone for anything."
Dudley and Development Director Jo Heidenreich said they had to re-evaluate their goals. Initially they were hoping for 20 vendors and between 500-1,000 people at the event. It ended up bringing in about 30 vendors and by noon they estimated attendance at about 1,000 people.
All proceeds from the $5 per plate sale, including fresh-cooked barbecue from the cook-off teams and side items donated by area businesses, will go toward helping the Boys & Girls Club's mission of keeping children off the streets.
In addition to the barbecue, local bands The Mighty Saints of Soul and Spare Change also played at the event. Vendors sold additional drinks, snacks and crafts and there were also activities for children, including face painting and historical demonstrations by Old Waynesborough volunteers.