The Kiwanis Bragging Rights BBQ saw a huge turnout this past Saturday at the Morgan County Fairgrounds.
Kiwanian and BBQ Committee member Rob Thomas says that people were lined up to get in the gates when they opened to the public at Noon this past Saturday: “We had a very good turn out. The weather couldn’t have been better. We figured that we had a little over 750 people show up in the first hour. We had 16 teams total cooking for the competition. 13 of the teams competed for a grand prize of $150. They all really competed for the People’s Choice. Paying members of the public each got a little stick that they could drop in the box for whoever they thought had the best food. We are glad that we are able to help out the Roller Hockey League and give them some money to work on their project.”
Thomas estimated gross receipts for the BBQ were near $15,000, with roughly $6,500 coming from sponsors of the event. Totals raised for the Roller Hockey League donation were still being figured as of press time.
The Jacksonville Roller Hockey League is seeking funds to repair the Olson Roller Hockey Rink in Nichols Park. The league has been seeking to raise between $80,000-$100,000 to resurface the surface at the rink since the Fall of 2020.
Thomas also estimated more than 800 people went through the gate for the BBQ, which put attendance at or near the record number for the event’s 22-year history.