Competitive eating, lawnmowers, and Goodwill may not seem to have much in common on the surface, but all three will come together on Saturday, Sept. 19, at Hogbody’s second annual wing eating contest and lawnmower tug-of-war.
Goodwill will collect donations of gently-used clothing and household items at the event, which starts at 5:00 p.m. in the parking lot of Hogbody’s Bar & Grill in North Fort Myers (10440 Bayshore Road).
“We want people to know that donating to Goodwill can be fun,” explains Laura Alford, Director of Donor Development for Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida. She adds, “Especially if you donate at an event like this.”
Donors will receive a drink ticket in exchange for their donation to Goodwill. Hogbody’
“We always look for ways to support the community,” explains Hogbody’s Owner/General Manager Theresa Raker. “Goodwill does a lot for people here in Southwest Florida, so were happy to have them as part of this fun event.”
Last year, Hogbody’s wing eating contest had 20 contestants, and hopes to see even more this year. According to Raker, competitors will have eight minutes to see how much chicken they can consume. “We do it by total weight consumed, so we don’t need to have everyone compete all at once.” She adds, “We could do it all night!”
Though Hogbody’s menu features 55 different flavors of wings, contestants will only eat the restaurant’s traditional “hot wings.” The entry fee for the wing eating contest is $20, and all competitors will receive a t-shirt. The first place winner will earn $100.
After the success of the 2008 event, Raker and the Hogbody’s crew decided to add the lawnmower tug-of-war to the mix. There is no entry fee for the tug-of-war, which will also be held in the Hogbody’s parking lot.
For more information about the event, contact Hogbody’s Bar & Grill at (239) 543-8800, or visit the restaurant's website: http://www.hogbodys.net
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida operates 24 thrift stores throughout Southwest Florida. Donations of clothing and household items are re-sold to support programs for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment, including Job-Link career services, affordable housing, the Four Wheels for Work vehicle assistance program, the L.I.F.E. Academy charter school, and other programs and services. More information about Goodwill's programs and services is available at http://www.goodwillswfl.org.
