Woody’s Bar-B-Q seeks ‘Total Pigs’ for rib-eating contest

Having opened its doors to barbecue fans in Jacksonville in 1980, Woody’s Bar-B-Q is firing up the smoker in preparation for its 42nd Anniversary Celebration.

Set for 2-4 p.m. Oct. 22 at Woody’s Bar-B-Q of Ponte Vedra Beach, the event will include the much-anticipated return of the classic Southern barbecue chain’s rib-eating contest, which has been on a three-year hiatus due to COVID.

As has been the case for the last two years, 100% of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Tim Tebow Foundation’s Anti-Human Trafficking Ministry. For taking part in the contest, participants will receive a “Total Pig” T-shirt and the winners will be awarded $100 for first place and $50 for second place.

In addition to the rib-eating contest, the event will include a silent auction, live music, magician, raffle, door prizes and great food.

“We held our very first rib-eating contest at our original location in Jacksonville in 2008, so we’re really excited to bring back this time-honored tradition among our loyal fanbase,” said Yolanda Mills-Mawman, Woody’s Bar-B-Q co-founder and president. “Our anniversary celebrations have always featured a fundraising component, benefiting everyone from the Tim Tebow Foundation and K9s for Warriors to No Kid Hungry and First Coast Florida Child Protection Team. The mission at the heart of TTF’s Anti-Human Trafficking Ministry really resonates with the entire Woody’s Bar-B-Q team. We’d love to see an end to this global atrocity that impacts as many as 40 million people in the world today, and we truly admire the work TTF is doing to rescue those who are enslaved and bring hope and healing to the survivors.”

To impact the crisis of human trafficking in the world, the Tim Tebow Foundation applies a three-pronged approach:

• Proactively, through international community resource centers that come alongside at-risk families, providing training and support to strengthen the family unit, preventing them from being taken advantage of in their vulnerability or having to turn their children into commodities out of desperation;
• Reactively, through support of rescue operations that extract victims from the darkest of places and bring them to safety; and
• Relationally, through a holistic community of care that addresses survivors’ physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual needs in long-term residential settings that nurture their healing and give them the tools for a life of freedom.

In hopes of raising as many funds as possible to support TTF’s mission, Woody’s Bar-B-Q will collect a participation fee of $10 from each of the participants. There will also be a silent auction at the event, so the Woody’s is seeking donations from local, regional and national businesses for attendees to bid on.

All proceeds from the rib-eating contest, silent auction and raffle will benefit TTF’s Anti-Human Trafficking Ministry. Woody’s will also donate 10% of its sales from all three of its corporate locations — at 1638 University Blvd. South in Jacksonville, 226 Solana Road in Ponte Vedra Beach and 1301 N. Orange Ave. in Green Cove Springs — on the day of the anniversary celebration.

Mills-Mawman encouraged those who can’t attend to donate directly to The Tim Tebow Foundation through its website at TimTebowFoundation.org.

Anyone interested in sponsoring the event or donating an item or service for the raffle or silent auction may reach out to admin@woodys.com.

Aspiring rib-eating contestants can contact Woody’s Bar-B-Q of Ponte Vedra Beach at 904-280-1110 to have their names added to the list or let their server know the next time they’re at the restaurant at 226 Solana Road.