Piggly Wiggly held their 9th Annual Steak Cook-off Saturday, Aug. 1. Like last year, all proceeds went to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
What happens when you give the world’s brightest minds the resources to do something remarkable? Cures. That is just one of the reasons St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is recognized around the world. They share their research with the world, leading a global effort to understand, treat, and defeat pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases. St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for some of the most aggressive cancers and other life threating diseases that attack our children. Because of people willing to give their time, energy and donations at events, like the Annual Piggly Wiggly Steak Cook-off, St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and diseases.
Founded by Danny Thomas with a vision that no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
This year, our friends at Piggly Wiggly were sanctioned by the Steak Cook-off Association (SCA). The SCA is dedicated to building the sport of steak cook-offs. The SCA benefits both cook teams and cook-off by implementing standardized rules and equal competitive opportunities for each team.
Prompting this year’s cook-off, bigger than in years past and with a larger crowd attendance, there were a total of 75 cooking teams.
The opening ceremony begin with Mitch Stubblefield, from Wild Goose Ministries, leading the crowd in prayer. Then the Springhill Fire Department used a truck ladder to raise our flag before the large crowd, while our local, bright and upcoming star, Cheridy Adams sang our national anthem.
In addition to the great steak dinners and fun food vendors, there were numerous other activities for everyone. The kiddie korner included a bouncy house, water slide, dunking booth, and carnival games. There were a number of booths to shop for unique and interesting gifts and items.
The Piggly Wiggly traditional karaoke contest was enjoyed throughout the afternoon. There was a pie eating contest, hula hoop contest, both a children and adult pig calling contest that really entertained the crowd.
All Piggly Wiggly and Save A Lot stores collected donations for the event. The Minden Save A Lot family collected $710.25.
This year the winners circle was expanded to 10 places. The winners of the steak cook-off were: 1st place Lake Earling Sizzlers; 2nd place Blowin’ Smoke Grillers; 3rd place Dirty Byrd Cookers #2; 4th place Honky Tonk Smokers; 5th place Chevy Q; 6th place Fatal Overdose III; 7th place Yard Dog Grilling; 8th place Smokehouse Rats #3; 9th place Maw and Paw Grillers; 10th place Up in Smoke BBQ Team.
Lake Earling Sizzlers will be heading to Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, October 24, for the SCA Steak World Championship. Piggly Wiggly also added a fun new category for the cookers the “Best Pig Pit.” The Understeakers of Magnolia took this title home.
Piggly Wiggly held a check presentation to St. Jude on September 22. Anna Hensgens from St. Jude was present to receive a check in the amount of $10,135.49. In addition, the 2015 2nd Place Winners Blowin’ Smoke Grillers from West Monroe donated their $1,000 prize money back to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
If you would like to see highlights from the day’s events, visit the Springhill Piggly Wiggly Annual Steak Cook-Off’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/springhillpigglywigglyannualsteakcookoff.
Piggly Wiggly will kick off the St. Jude’s Halloween Pin Up campaign on Oct. 1. Pin-ups can be purchased at any store for $1.