Local Washtenaw Co. Fire Dept. Event Needs Help

[crossczek]

Hi all,
It's come to my attention that the Milan Fire Department (south of Ann Arbor by about 15 miles) has been put in a tough situation.
The people that were going to be cooking their 5 hogs for the FD's fund raiser on Aug. 20th are no longer able to it.
The Fire Department is looking for people with the ability/capacity to cook hogs. They will provide everything (hogs, wood, spices).

Me and Slowburn Steve have offered our services and cookers.
We are in need of one or two more cookers.
And, I think this might be a great opportunity to promote the GLBBQA (fly a banner, provide membership forms, etc).
It's certainly a great opportunity to brush up on your hog cooking for free.

Milan, home of the Milan Dragway, is off US-23 at exit 27. The cook will take place at the American Legion, across the street from the Fire Department right in town. I don't know which of them is pulling the permit, but the local health department is involved and will be verifying temps before the hogs come off the cookers.

ALSO-This already annual fundraiser is considering adding a BBQ competition next year. I don't know to what extent yet, but this could be another great opportunity for the GLBBQA.

PM me with your contact info ASAP if you are able to help out.

Thanks.

[sfisch]

Other Scott,
Good to hear from you again. Slowburn called me today and filled me in, unfortunately I won't be able to make that one but hopefully someone from the group can help you out.
Like you said, this could be a great opportunity to evolve into something competition wise in the future. I know you will be busy but if you get a chance, get me a contact person and email and I will get hold of them in a couple weeks once they slow down and start talking about next year.
August has some holes we can fill in.

Thanks again
Scott

[crossczek]

Besides me and Steve, we've had two other GLBBQA'ers step up to lend helping hands (but not cookers): Rockpyle and Dodgeramsst2003.
The Fire Department guys are fabbing up a cooker now out of an old oil tank, but it be nice to get another BBQ'er here with a pro piece of equipment.
As I mentioned before it'd be a great way to brush up on your hog cooking skills for free!

I'm sure we'll all be model GLBBQA ambassadors - spreading all that is good about the group to the masses.....but, not like a disease or anything.:eek:

I will verify who the contact person is for you, Scott, but I think it may be the chief. Do small town fire chiefs and retired police chiefs play well together? I'm sure that's like asking "Does Bubba wear sleeveless shirts?":cool:

Does anyone have a GLBBQA banner/flag we can borrow? It'd be nice to represent, saying the GLBBQA helped out as a group (came to the rescue), not just a couple of local guys. If anyone could mail one to us, we'll mail it back.
No worries if not, I'm sure they're not cheap.

I'll keep updates posted, and maybe even a few pic's afterwords, too.

[sfisch]

Other Scott,
great to see some other members stepping up to help. I'll see if Mike has a banner we can get to you somehow by then.
Don't worry about the Fire Chief, I was on the fire dept for 9 years also.

Has anyone down that way heard or seen Dale Lockwood lately, he may be a good source for another cooker.


Scott

[spydermike72]

Richard Bourdow has the banner...

[sfisch]

Richard Bourdow has the banner...

Other Scott,
PM me your address, I will see if Mr. Bourdow can mail it to you.

Thanks

[Visioneer]

Unfortunately I'm cooking for a Luau that day or I'd be there in a heartbeat. The American Legion is located right on the lake so it's a nice view. My brother publishes the Discover Milan News so I'll drop the hint to get the GLBQQA promoted. A banner would make for a great photo. If someone wants to do a small write-up and send it to afterglowbbq"at"charter.net I'll forward it to him.

Mark

[crossczek]

SWMBO has a master's in publishing, and we read the DMN.
The whole thing is a fund raiser for the Milan Area FD, but I'll see if she wants to write a quick article, making sure to mention the GLBBQA's guest appearance.
(she's swamped with freelance work so she may not be able to)
I got an e-mail from Scott, the banner's on it's way - I'll wear my best tuxedo T-shirt for the photo op, just in case.

[sfisch]

Yep, mailed it this morning, they said you should have it tomorrow.
When you mail it back, throw a receipt inside and I will submit it to the treasurer.
Thanks for your help and have a great time for a great cause.

Scott

[Slowburn Steve]

Scott's we will get pics for the group too, wish you guys could make it down, sounds like it's going to be a great time...

[Slowburn Steve]

Good Lord we had a Great time last night. Scott, Chris and Rob are a riot and great to work with. I'm glad I had the time available to work this event. There were a bunch of pic and I'm sure they'll be posted shortly. The MAFD was already talking about next years party. Not to mention a big bunch of folks from Milan and the surrounding area that were VERY well fed!!!

[Rockpyle]

My pics from the event. It was a blast and I learned a ton from some great guys and some unfortunate pigs:

The competitors:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-04.jpg

The Competition:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-05.jpg

The Seasoning plan:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-06.jpg

Pig wrestling:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-09.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-10.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-12.jpg

The last pig goes on the cooker

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-13.jpg

GLBBQA Represented:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-20.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-25.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-28.jpg

The firefighters putting up the tent (just before their first call of the morning):

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-29.jpg

Breakfast Dessert (the firefighters made some Cuban Eggs for breakfast and Scott put some pig candy on):

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-32.jpg

Intermediate pig checks:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-36.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-43.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-49.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-51.jpg

The first pig comes off:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-59.jpg

Happy cooks (even if the new guy needs some remedial apron training):

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-75.jpg

Pig pulling:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-78.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-81.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-84.jpg

The equipment:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-87.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-88.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-89.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-90.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-91.jpg

The happy crowd:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-94.jpg

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx122/bbqrockpyle/Milan%20Firefighters%20Pig%20Roast/MilanPigRoast2011-95.jpg

My obsessive photographing guarantees that it *did* happen!

Rock

[Rich Parker]

Nice pics Rock!

Looks like you guys had a great time.

[sfisch]

Way to go you guys, looks like you did a hell of a job!

Scott

[bavariansmoke]

Nice Looking Pigs and cookers You guys Rock;)

[Bbq Bubba]

Outstanding! ;)

[spydermike72]

Very nice guys!! Pigs looked great!! Did the weather hold out for you ??

[Rockpyle]

Very nice guys!! Pigs looked great!! Did the weather hold out for you ??

We managed to get through it with only a sprinkling of rain. As the weather was approaching, Scott's smartphone was giving him weather advisories right before we heard the same thing come from the firefighter's radios. It must have been pretty close, as we could see nasty clouds to the North of us and hear thunder to the South.

We had a bubble of good karma above us protecting us from the rain.

The wind picked up a bunch and we had to tie the tents to the smokers to keep them down, but almost no rain.

Rock

[crossczek]

Wow, Rob! Those were some great pictures! Thank you very much for taking them. AND,thanks for bringing that incredible homebrew - it truely "Goes To 11".
What's up with the apron?

Thanks to Rob, Chris, and Steve for helping pull off a great event. I'm sure the door is open for us for next year. I had a blast working with you guys, and everything turned out great.

We recieved a very heart felt thank you from the fire department. I overheard a couple conversations about how "...these guys are members of the Great Lakes BBQ Association, and they really came through for us."

To re-state what Steve said, the Milan Area FD is already talking about getting us involved early next year for improvements. They memtioned again the possibility of having a competition next year.
I was also approached by a member of the local Rotary Club (a Rotarian, as this person parenthetically called himself) and he said they wanted to do something huge like this for the (Milan) community also, mentioning again the possibility for a competition.
They weren't aware of each others efforts, and I said if they coordinated it has the potential to be something really nice.

Other Scott, I will get thier contact information for you, I've known them both for years.
Also, I'll put the banner back in the mail today or tomorrow.

[jerry516planes]

Thank you all for doing us proud!

[crewdawg52]

Hats to ya guys ........ Fantastic job!