As the annual Kiss-A-Pig competition for the American Diabetes Association nears the wire, Team Liberty candidate Danny Creasy said he's been practicing puckering to be ready for Lulu the pig at the banquet gala on May 31.
The campaign pits teams against each other in a challenge to see who can raise the most funds to fight diabetes. The winner gets to kiss the celebrity pig, symbolizing insulin, which was first made from pig intestines in 1921.
Last month, Team Liberty got a big boost when the Dorchester Clay Shoot surpassed the $72,000 raised last year.
Saturday, Don Carter of Carters Funeral Home, Oglethorpe Chapel, helped push Team Liberty ahead by sponsoring a fish fry outside of Phillip's Seafood in Hinesville. He spent the last few weeks selling tickets and said he was surprised when he sold an estimated 1,200 $7 tickets.
"When you sell between 1,200-1,300 tickets it's fantastic and exceeded my expectations, absolutely," he said.
The folks were lining up for the tasty treats as ticket holders were joined by folks who passed by and decided to get a bite for themselves.
"I was asked if I could help and when they said what it was for I was happy to help," Diane Phillips, owner of Phillip's Seafood said.
She said she has friends and family battling diabetes and anything she could do to help find a cure, help Team Liberty and the community was a good cause.
"I think we will come out on top," she said. "And if it was because of this event then I think that is great."
Later that afternoon, in the east side of county, the campaigning continued with a celebrity bartending competition at the Sunbury Crab Company.
Creasy said it was the largest and most successful celebrity bartending event that he could remember. He said they stopped counting folks coming in when they got to 300.
He said the success was from having six dedicated teams who believe in the cause and the beautiful location.
Dr. David Dority from the bartending team representing Richmond Hill brought in the final tally to Creasy, earning the Richmond Hill team the title of Top Pigtender. Dr. Judy Piros from Chatham County wasn't far behind.
The event raised more than $16,000.
"I can't thank the Maley family (owners of Sunbury Crab) enough for all that they do for the ADA," Creasy said. "They worked really hard and stayed really involved with our local kiss a pig campaign."
"The Sunset Celebrity Bartending event is just another example of the amazing, creativity and outstanding organizational abilities of the Liberty County Kiss-a-Pig team," Maria Center, director of the Southeast Georgia & Coastal South Carolina American Diabetes Association, said.
There are still a few events scheduled to help Team Liberty. Creasy was scheduled to dress as RePIGlican candidate AbraHAM Lincoln for a fundraiser yesterday at Liberty Elementary.
Creasy said other schools have also been raising funds, something new for Team Liberty.
On May 17 Kroger's Manager Bill Goodwin will sponsor a sale of smoked ribs starting at 10:30 a.m. in the store's parking lot. That afternoon Vann's will host a fundraising wine tasting from 1-3:30.
For the past several years, Team Liberty and Team Chatham County Public Schools have topped regional fundraising, placing them in a special competition against each other. Last year Team Chatham won by only $6,000.
The campaign pits teams against each other in a challenge to see who can raise the most funds to fight diabetes. The winner gets to kiss the celebrity pig, symbolizing insulin, which was first made from pig intestines in 1921.
Last month, Team Liberty got a big boost when the Dorchester Clay Shoot surpassed the $72,000 raised last year.
Saturday, Don Carter of Carters Funeral Home, Oglethorpe Chapel, helped push Team Liberty ahead by sponsoring a fish fry outside of Phillip's Seafood in Hinesville. He spent the last few weeks selling tickets and said he was surprised when he sold an estimated 1,200 $7 tickets.
"When you sell between 1,200-1,300 tickets it's fantastic and exceeded my expectations, absolutely," he said.
The folks were lining up for the tasty treats as ticket holders were joined by folks who passed by and decided to get a bite for themselves.
"I was asked if I could help and when they said what it was for I was happy to help," Diane Phillips, owner of Phillip's Seafood said.
She said she has friends and family battling diabetes and anything she could do to help find a cure, help Team Liberty and the community was a good cause.
"I think we will come out on top," she said. "And if it was because of this event then I think that is great."
Later that afternoon, in the east side of county, the campaigning continued with a celebrity bartending competition at the Sunbury Crab Company.
Creasy said it was the largest and most successful celebrity bartending event that he could remember. He said they stopped counting folks coming in when they got to 300.
He said the success was from having six dedicated teams who believe in the cause and the beautiful location.
Dr. David Dority from the bartending team representing Richmond Hill brought in the final tally to Creasy, earning the Richmond Hill team the title of Top Pigtender. Dr. Judy Piros from Chatham County wasn't far behind.
The event raised more than $16,000.
"I can't thank the Maley family (owners of Sunbury Crab) enough for all that they do for the ADA," Creasy said. "They worked really hard and stayed really involved with our local kiss a pig campaign."
"The Sunset Celebrity Bartending event is just another example of the amazing, creativity and outstanding organizational abilities of the Liberty County Kiss-a-Pig team," Maria Center, director of the Southeast Georgia & Coastal South Carolina American Diabetes Association, said.
There are still a few events scheduled to help Team Liberty. Creasy was scheduled to dress as RePIGlican candidate AbraHAM Lincoln for a fundraiser yesterday at Liberty Elementary.
Creasy said other schools have also been raising funds, something new for Team Liberty.
On May 17 Kroger's Manager Bill Goodwin will sponsor a sale of smoked ribs starting at 10:30 a.m. in the store's parking lot. That afternoon Vann's will host a fundraising wine tasting from 1-3:30.
For the past several years, Team Liberty and Team Chatham County Public Schools have topped regional fundraising, placing them in a special competition against each other. Last year Team Chatham won by only $6,000.