![Iowa's Smokey D's BBQ was named the Professional Grand Champion in the Torry Island BBQ Showdown. [Photo by Greg Baltazar]](/uploads/original/20240326-150139-Torry Island BBQ grand champion.jpg)
Iowa's Smokey D's BBQ was named the Professional Grand Champion in the Torry Island BBQ Showdown. [Photo by Greg Baltazar]
Greg Baltazar...
![Kelsey Hart was on stage at Torry Island for the Torry Island BBQ Showdown. [Photo by Greg Baltazar]](/uploads/original/20240326-150135-Torry Island BBQ entertainment.jpg)
Kelsey Hart was on stage at Torry Island for the Torry Island BBQ Showdown. [Photo by Greg Baltazar]
Greg Baltazar...
Special to Lake Okeechobee News
BELLE GLADE -- H E Hill Foundation, Inc.'s BBQ competition event in Belle Glade raised $61,000.00 for Glades Historical Society in March.
The H E Hill Foundation, Inc. was formed in 1997 with the goal of making mortgages on affordable housing for working people of the Glades Region. Upon his death in 2007, Dr. Howard E. Hill left the bulk of his estate to the Foundation which is headed jointly by board members Barbara H. Boswell and Jennifer R. Earnest with assistance from John Jay Watkins.
By learning the needs of the Glades Communities, Boswell and Earnest came to the realization nobody wants to live in a community without sustainable education, holistic health, impactful youth programs, and deeper opportunities to engage the community. It is through this listening that the Foundation implemented a multitude of philanthropic opportunities funded by mortgages on affordable houses to enhance the
Glades region. Since 2007 the H E Hill Foundation has given back over $15 million to the areas surrounding Lake Okeechobee.
Dr. Hill used to hold a fall barbecue for the entire community. He’d buy a semi-truck of corn, semi-truck of Bush’s baked beans direct from Tennessee and a truckload of chicken. He would recruit area grillers and cook for the residents of the Glades on a few acres of open property he owned on 715 in Belle Glade.
Earnest, Dr. Hill’s granddaughter, had a vision to preserve the memory of her grandfather's barbecues, while also enhancing the public’s understanding of the area and highlighting its need for a brand name hotel.
The H E Hill Foundation had been approached by Cheryl Stein, who is the Curator of the Lawrence E. Will Museum, seeking out funding opportunities to build an NFL Hall of Fame celebrating the Glades’ legacy of raising NFL players. Earnest took the treasured memory of her grandpa’s barbecues and Stein’s need and created the Torry Island BBQ & Airboat Showdown to benefit the Glades Historical Society.
Earnest approached Cade Congleton, a young realtor in the area, Kevin Rhodes, an area airboat enthusiast, and Lamar Weathers, who is co-director of Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce. Weathers happily assisted with logos, websites and social media. He also recommended Glades resident and BBQ aficionado Kevin Brewer be part of the team.
Brewer has openly discussed that his family is from Belle Glade, his business is in Belle Glade, and it will remain that way for a long time to come so he was eager to bring new ideas and better media to his hometown.
The City of Belle Glade was 100% supportive of making this happen as well. As the event grew exponentially in the first few months the team grew which now included Jennifer Earnest, founder; Kevin Brewer, BBQ lead; Kevin Rhodes, airboat lead; Ashley Brewer, social media lead; Cade Congleton, community outreach; Angella Harrelle-Buchanan, organization and vendor lead; Yolanda Gomez, vendors; Cheryl Stein, Glades Historical Society; and Jenna Rimes, entertainment lead.
March 2, 2024 was a busy day of different events in South Florida but was the only date that matched with the KCBS schedule. There were many rules that are associated with hosting a national Kansas City BBQ Sanctioned (KCBS) competition. Brewer got the necessary certifications as a KCBS judge and event host that are required to hold the national competition. Earnest went to work on sponsorships, advocacy, positive advertising (to over 1.2 million people), meeting with political figures on educating the fundraising purpose and promoting the good of Western Palm Beach County.
The goal was to obtain out of area sponsors since the local sponsors are called upon so often due to the many needs of our community. However, when word got out the locals came through in a huge way.
Pioneer Growers agreed to be a Diamond Sponsor provided a BBQ team and an airboat for the show. A newly-formed Pahokee rum company, Otherland Society, which is made from the local farmers' cane fields stepped in as a Diamond Sponsor while donating 10 cases of rum for contestants and entertainers. Both organizations and vendor Frozen Drinks Unlimited of Florida returned all of their proceeds from the day to Glades Historical Society as well.
Bank of Belle Glade ran the cornhole portion and became a Gold Sponsor.
U. S Sugar did a silver sponsorship, entered the BBQ competition and provided beautiful boxes of organically grown produce to each BBQ competitor and the entertainers. The boxes were a huge hit and education point amongst the teams that came from all over the United States.
There is a deep sense of gratitude to each and every sponsor at every level of sponsorships the event received. The H E Hill Foundation underwrote this first year's expenses, but all the sponsors were the key to the success.
Torry Island BBQ Showdown would like to thank ALL of our sponsors whose funds went directly to Glades Historical Society.
Torry Island BBQ Showdown and Airboat Show was in full force on March 2, 2024, with 31 competition BBQ teams from all over the United States, 42 airboats on display, 16 cornhole teams, seven volleyball teams, axe throwing, mechanical hog rides and all-day live
music playing headlined by recording artist Kelsey Hart.
The day came with an expectation that perhaps 1,000-1,500 people would show up. To the surprise ir organizers, the event drew close to 4.000 visitors.
The BBQ vendors were sold out and the BBQ Committee was inundated
with comments such as: "We lived in Florida our whole life and never knew this existed."
"We live in Palm Beach and never had a desire to come out here but now we can't wait to come back,
"The hospitality was phenomenal.:
The results also generated a check for the Glades Historical Society in the amount of $61,000.
"Thank you to the committee members, volunteers, competitors, vendors, sponsors, and especially the attendees for making this event a success," said Earnest. "We would like to welcome you all back to Torry Island next year for the Torry Island BBQ Showdown which will be bigger and better. "
Hotel owners: If you to want to expand your hotel franchise to a location that desperately needs it, Jennifer Earnest at the H E Hill Foundation will be happy to help facilitate it. Email:
j.earnest@hehill.org.
![BELLE GLADE -- On March 14, Jennifer Earnest, Kevin Brewer, Kevin Rhodes and Lamar Weathers from the Torry Island BBQ Committee presented the Glades Historical Society a check for $61,000. They are excited that the funds will get the Glades NFL Hall of Fame built and new upgrades to the Lawrence E. Will Museum! The Glades Historical Society’s representative, Cheryl Stein said “The NFL Hall of Fame & the Hall of Distinction are most definitely on the way!! The Historical Society was overwhelmed with the generosity of the fundraiser & all who were a part of it.” Left to right are Lamar Weathers, Kevin Brewer, Brenda Bryant, Eddie Rhodes, Jennifer Earnest, Steve Weekes, Cheryl Stein, Willie Lee, J.D. Patrick & Mr. & Mrs. Johnny Hood. [Courtesy photo]](/uploads/original/20240326-150142-Torrey Island BBQ Showdown.jpg)
