(BEDFORD) – The energy and excitement could be felt within the walls of the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence County on Friday afternoon. It’s a time of celebration because the Club is now debt-free.
The children were filled with excitement in anticipation of who would kiss the pig.
The youth of the club did their part to pay off the debt of “their” club by dropping their spare change into pink plastic pigs for the Pennies For Payoff “Kiss The Pig” Challenge.
As one child pointed out during the announcements this afternoon – “nickels too”.
The club youth learned how to give to reach a common goal and to understand it takes everyone to do their part during the “Kiss The Pig” fundraiser.
“The goal of creating the challenge was to teach our youth the gift of giving and that every gift, large or small, counts,” said Timber Browning, Resource Development and Marketing Director at the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence County. “We also wanted them to understand goal setting. One of the biggest goals with this challenge is to empower club members by feeling like they own part of the club.”
‘We’re debt free’ the children chanted Friday afternoon.
Each of the pigs was assigned to a club employee. The staff member with the most money would have to kiss a real pig. However, a surprise happened during the ”Kiss The Pig” finale as a person donated an anonymous check to make sure there was no tie and every club employee got to kiss the pig.
Bedford Police Officer Morgan Lee notified those attending that an anonymous donor wrote a check to break all ties so each employee would have to kiss the pig.
The children cheered as each Club employee took their turn kissing the pig. Most of them only kissed the pig on its nose. The children did not want any of that and they shouted ‘kiss the pig on its mouth’ and a few daring souls did just that.
All the Club employees kissed the pig.
The goal of the fundraising effort to pay off the mortgage by the end of this week was accomplished. Any money raised moving forward can and will now be applied to the operating budget of the club.
Listed below are the final results of the contest:
- Cathy & Maleah – $190.00
- Frank, Billy, and Cole – $128
- Timber, Brandy, and Dave – $25.86
- Homework – $22.86
- Chef’s Hat & Art – $6.00
- Gym – $3
- Stem & Computer – $2
- Gameroom – $2
- An additional $62 was paid to let them all kiss the pig, to break any ties.
Bill and Kristi Spreen, providers of the pig, watched as the kissing challenge took place.
Bill and Kristi Spreen provided a pig for the employees to kiss. The children were cheering, and yelling in support of the staff who had to pucker up and give Lucky or Porky some “ole fashioned Lawrence County lovin’.”
The celebration will continue Saturday afternoon with the burning of the mortgage. The public is invited to come and celebrate this momentous occasion. Free refreshments will be served.
The event will begin at 2 p.m. at the Limestone Unit.
Jim Sowders, who vowed to jump from the roof if the mortgage was paid off, will make a flying leap from the roof of the building around 2:15 p.m.
