Cook-off raises $1,000 for Shop With a Cop

Nothing brings a community together better than the promise of good food and fundraising, except maybe a competition of who makes the best food. On Saturday, July 12, Kimball's Twelfth Annual Rib Cook-Off was held in Gotte Park.

Jowain Sherman and his wife, Linda, work hard year after year to make sure the rib cook-off runs smoothly. This year a little twist was added to the competition: a trophy for best ribs and a traveling trophy that obligates the winner to come back the following year to compete again.

This was also the first year that a competition was struck between the Fire Department and the Police Department.

"This is the first year we've had this friendly competitiveness between the fire department and the police department. I mean ultimately I think it would be really great to get all the police departments in the Panhandle involved. So we've got a traveling trophy so we were hoping that who ever won the trophy would be obligated to come back the next year and cook, so we can keep that competition alive and going," Sherman said.

The ribs had to be cooked on site. As a result those competing showed up to the park hours early in order to start cooking their ribs, hopefully ensuring their victory.

Those in the competition must provide their own way of cooking the ribs and they must cook them at the park. However, they were allowed to marinate them at home.

"We want to make sure we know where they came from. We don't want someone saying that they made ribs and really they bought some somewhere," Sherman said.

This year fifty slabs of ribs were purchased from Main Street Market for the competition. However, those who don't want to cook meat still have the opportunity to compete. There was also a competition for best baked beans, best cornbread, and best pie. All of these items were allowed to be cooked at home.

"We have a lot of fun putting all of this together and my wife baked four pans of corn bread so we would have enough cornbread because no one wanted to get into the competition for the cornbread this year. And she baked, well she and a friend of hers, between the two of them baked ten pies," Sherman said.

In total there were five rib entries, three pie entires, one entry for cornbread, and one for beans. The winner of the Rib Cook-Off was Mark Wetham, of the Fire Department. Second place went to Brian Thacker, of the Fire Department, third place went to Chris Rowley, fourth place went to Jowain Sherman, and fifth went to Darren Huff of the Police Department.

Three pies were entered, first place went to Cristy Rowley, second place went to Cinda Sherman, and third to Penny Merryfield. Due to Merryfield being the only entrant for both the beans and cornbread, she won first in both categories.

After the judging the serving began. A long line to get food started as people lined up with their tickets. Tickets which they paid seven $7 for, ended up raising around a thousand dollars. However, the money from these tickets went to the Shop With a Cop fund, in order to help out less fortunate kids during the holidays.

"This has helped us out quite a bit. Our goal for the funds for Shop With a Cop is about six thousand, so the funds from the ticket sales to the cook-off has been a big help. We just really appreciate the Sherman's being on board with doing this. It allows us to raise the funds for this early and not be scrambling come December," Police Chief Darren Huff said.

The Lions Club was present, selling raffle tickets for a Kindle Fire that they will raffle off at Farmer's Day. Plains Historical Society was present and they were selling beverages as well as raffle tickets for the gun raffle that will take place on Farmer's Day.

The good weather made for a day that allowed young and old alike to associate and spend time with each other. All in attendance bonded over saucy fingers and the best way to eat ribs. It was a community event that will hopefully continue for years to come.

"We really want to keep this going for the community. We hope to maybe extend the invitation for police departments throughout the Panhandle, it would be great to have this be a competition that drew in cooks from around the Panhandle," Sherman said.

Due to the Fourth of July falling on a Saturday next year, Sherman said that they were thinking that next year's cook-off might be held sometime in June. He looks forward to seeing the growth in the competition and both him and his wife express gratitude for all those involved.