For the first time in 12 years, the team representing Liberty County out campaigned team Chatham County in the annual Kiss-A-Pig fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association.
This year's theme 'Hamocracy in Action' pitted Danny Creasy, from the Heritage Bank, against Dr. Joe Buck, representing the Savannah-Chatham County School Systemin a race for the RePIGlican nomination. Teams representing, Glynn County, Savannah State University and the Savannah area were in the running for a spot to be the top Hamocrat.
But the RePIGlican candidates were in a class by themselves as the two experienced teams have continuously exceeded fundraising goals. Chatham County Public School has raised funds for the campaign for the last 16 years and Liberty County for 12.
Creasy and Team Liberty raised just over $158,000 to help the campaign reach a record high $370,000 this year. Chatham County Public Schools raised $109,000.
As a result, Creasy had the pungent honor of kissing Lulu the pig during a gala in Savannah Saturday night.
"Every year Liberty County has kept building the momentum up," Creasy said. "Year after year after year. This year we finally got over that hump. We vowed to not be out worked this year and we out did ourselves."
Creasy said it was the community support from the folks in Liberty County and neighboring Bryan County that helped push the team to the top. He said he wanted to top the all-time record set by Tybee Island a few years back when they raised $143,000.
"I talked to my self and thought I'm pretty sure we can get there," Creasy said. "And I think we can beat it. My father-in-law (Claude Dryden) puts on the largest clay shoot-sporting event for the kiss-a pig, the Dorchester Clay Shootout, and it has proved to be the largest fundraiser for the kiss a pig and provided a great foundation for our campaign. I knew if we could build upon that we would do great things and we did."
Last year the shoot raised over $70,000. This year they hit $82,00. During the ceremony, Maria Center, Director of the Southeast Georgia and Coastal South Carolina American Diabetes Association singled out Dryden's hard work, honoring him with a plague.
Adam Aldrich from Merrill Lynch in Savannah won the Hamocratic party raising 20,000.
Center said she was amazed at the effort put forward by the Liberty County team.
"I didn't think there was anyway possible," she said about the team reaching $158,000. "But after seeing how much work everyone put into it, there was no way that the number was going to be anything but absolutely astronomical. It is out of control. They have taken it to the moon. And I don't think this group has scratched the surface yet. These people are out of control and I'm so proud."
This year's theme 'Hamocracy in Action' pitted Danny Creasy, from the Heritage Bank, against Dr. Joe Buck, representing the Savannah-Chatham County School Systemin a race for the RePIGlican nomination. Teams representing, Glynn County, Savannah State University and the Savannah area were in the running for a spot to be the top Hamocrat.
But the RePIGlican candidates were in a class by themselves as the two experienced teams have continuously exceeded fundraising goals. Chatham County Public School has raised funds for the campaign for the last 16 years and Liberty County for 12.
Creasy and Team Liberty raised just over $158,000 to help the campaign reach a record high $370,000 this year. Chatham County Public Schools raised $109,000.
As a result, Creasy had the pungent honor of kissing Lulu the pig during a gala in Savannah Saturday night.
"Every year Liberty County has kept building the momentum up," Creasy said. "Year after year after year. This year we finally got over that hump. We vowed to not be out worked this year and we out did ourselves."
Creasy said it was the community support from the folks in Liberty County and neighboring Bryan County that helped push the team to the top. He said he wanted to top the all-time record set by Tybee Island a few years back when they raised $143,000.
"I talked to my self and thought I'm pretty sure we can get there," Creasy said. "And I think we can beat it. My father-in-law (Claude Dryden) puts on the largest clay shoot-sporting event for the kiss-a pig, the Dorchester Clay Shootout, and it has proved to be the largest fundraiser for the kiss a pig and provided a great foundation for our campaign. I knew if we could build upon that we would do great things and we did."
Last year the shoot raised over $70,000. This year they hit $82,00. During the ceremony, Maria Center, Director of the Southeast Georgia and Coastal South Carolina American Diabetes Association singled out Dryden's hard work, honoring him with a plague.
Adam Aldrich from Merrill Lynch in Savannah won the Hamocratic party raising 20,000.
Center said she was amazed at the effort put forward by the Liberty County team.
"I didn't think there was anyway possible," she said about the team reaching $158,000. "But after seeing how much work everyone put into it, there was no way that the number was going to be anything but absolutely astronomical. It is out of control. They have taken it to the moon. And I don't think this group has scratched the surface yet. These people are out of control and I'm so proud."