The largest fundraiser of the year for American Diabetes Association (ADA), Kiss-a-Pig, is under way.
A regional contest between community leaders to raise money, Kiss-a-Pig, enjoys popularity among area locals. This year’s campaign will include candidates from South Carolina and from communities throughout southeast Georgia.
The 2011 theme, “Swine Wars,” is a spoof of the Star Wars franchise.
In 2009, Troy Alford, representing the Effingham Board of Education was the first Kiss-A-Pig candidate from Effingham County. His campaign managers were Bev Donaldson with South Effingham Middle School and Michelle Brinson, Atlantic Southern Bank. His campaign raised $11,000.
This year, Effingham County Superintendent and Chamber President Randy Shearouse is hoping to kiss the pig. Shearouse hopes to unseat Beaufort County, S.C., by engaging the schools and community-at-large in his quest to buss the bacon.
For the past two years, Beaufort County has won. In 2010, Beaufort Memorial Hospital CEO Dr. Rick Toomey won by raising $21,000. In 2009, Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling won by raising $27,000.
Shearouse will be competing against:
• Savannah Dan of Savannah Dan Tours
• “The Heavenly Hogs,” a team from the Heavenly Spa, Westin Savannah Resort
• Team Bulloch County, Coach Jeff Monken, GSU Head Football Coach and Bubba Hunt, Car City & Pawn City
• Teresa Rodewalt, Secure Care, Inc.
• Ted Felder, City Manager, Hardeeville, representing Jasper County
• James Gamble, Gamble Financial Services
• Dr. Tom Leitzel, President, Technical College of the Lowcountry, representing Beaufort County
• “Squeals on Wheels,” the Derby Devils Roller Derby Team
• Husband and wife team, Rob Parker, German Auto Service & Peggy Stone, Doc’s Bar, Tybee
• Savannah “Boar” Association represented by Dave Smith, Brannen Searcy Smith; Nick Bruce, Oliver Maner; and Quentin Marlin, Ellis Painter
The Savannah-Chatham County Schools and the Liberty County team will go snout to snout. As the most experienced teams, they are in a class by themselves.
All funds raised during the Kiss-a-Pig campaign benefit the American Diabetes Association, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to curing diabetes and improving the lives of all people affected by diabetes. Diabetes is the nation’s fifth deadliest disease, killing more than 220,000 Americans each year. It is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke, adult blindness, kidney failure and non-traumatic amputations.
For more information on how you can get involved in Kiss-a-Pig, contact Maria Center at 912-353-8110, ext. 3091 or mcenter@diabetes.org.
