Eighth Annual Captain Tom Garrity Firefighters’ BBQ Challenge

This year marks the eighth annual Tom Garrity Firefighters’ BBQ Challenge benefiting the local American Red Cross.  In 2010, Captain Tom Garrity embraced the challenge of firefighters competing against each other while cooking.  We all hear that firefighters are great cooks, so this is an opportunity to prove how good they were and offer comradery amongst different fire stations throughout the southeast.  Firefighters will come from as far as Virginia to compete.

 

As a volunteer firefighter, Tom witnessed firsthand the services provided by the American Red Cross to fire victims and wanted to help raise money for the organization. Tom had a vision to see the BBQ Challenge come to life and become an annual event that would grow each year. The American Red Cross, the Garrity family and Tom’s business associates, along with many firefighter friends continue to make Tom’s vision a reality.  All proceeds for this event will benefit the American Red Cross Local Chapter. 

This year the event will be bigger and better than ever. There will be an “Anything Butt” competition on Friday, November 17th.  Tickets will be sold for tasting at the door. Saturday, November 18th will be the traditional Firefighters’ Challenge. The Southern Barbeque Network will sanction the event so teams can earn points for the SBN Competition. We will still have a Firefighters only competition for the Firefighter Pet Master along with the People’s Choice Award. The new addition is an open category for anyone to compete separately under the SBN. Each team will cook either a whole hog or Boston Butts. Anyone with a ticket will be able to taste and vote for the People’s Choice Award.  Our defending champions are Wedgefield Fire Station from Sumter. This year over $1,500 in prize money is up for grabs. 

Another addition that will continue this year is the Explorer’s Jr. Firefighters Skills Competition. Teams will demonstrate their skills using bunker gear and hoses. The competition is limited to five teams with a minimum of four members, and a maximum of seven. It will take place while people walk around and enjoy the BBQ from the various teams. While there is minimal fee for the team to enter, there is no additional fee to watch the competition.

We will have entertainment the entire time including a puppet show about fire safety. 

On Friday, November 17, for the Anything Butt Tasting Competition, gates will be open from 6-9 pm. Friday’s Anything Butt Competition will not have a ticket to enter but each sample will require a ticket to taste.  On Saturday, November 18th, gates open to the public and close at 2 pm. The Firefighters’ BBQ Challenge tickets cost $10, with children 10 & under free. Entry into the event provides each ticket holder the opportunity to sample each teams BBQ at no extra charge, while it lasts. Sandwiches, drinks and BBQ by the pound will be available for purchase until 2 pm. You can also pre-order a butt for carry out by contacting the Dutch Holland or Robert Pegram or any other committee member.

The American Red Cross responds to a house fire every four hours across South Carolina.   In the past 12 months, approximately 7,100 people were assisted after disasters, 169,000 pints of blood were collected and more than 26,000 smoke detectors were installed across the state.  The fact is an average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in its humanitarian services and programs.

For more information or to enter the competition, contact Dutch Holland at 910-973-3223 or wldutchholland@gmail.com or call the American Red Cross at 803-775-2563.  To enter the Firefighters Master Skills Competition or the Fire Apparatus Show,  contact Robert Pegram at 803-460-4877 or rpegram@clarendoncountyfire.com .  Applications and rules for entry for all areas can be found at www.sbbqn.com/firefighters-bbq-challenge.html.  View the Facebook page at Capt. Tom Garrity Firefighters’ BBQ Challenge for more details and pictures of the event.