Keen, Douthat SPEED Group Notes Winners, Thanks Sponsors   Dear Editor, AlleghanyJournal.com: "On behalf of the Douthat SPEED Group, I’d like thank everyone who came out and supported the 6th Annual Campsite Cook Off that was held this past weekend on Saturday, October 9, 2021 and I would like to congratulate all the winners. With the threat of rain all week, we were very fortunate and blessed to have a dry weekend with a very nice and cool overcast day. Even if you did not receive an award, in my eyes you were all winners. All the food that was cooked and judged was beyond amazing and competition was very tough. 100% of the profits that the Douthat SPEED Group raises is used to make improvements to Douthat State Park. We are very fortunate to live in a community that supports us and our efforts to make a difference. The sponsors we received this year was beyond our expectations and we plan to start putting some money into the newly gained property of Green Pastures so that will give the citizen an even broader experience of Douthat State Park and the Alleghany Highlands. Douthat State Park is our own outdoor playground in the Alleghany Highlands that offers hiking, camping, places to go horseback riding, boating, fishing, swimming, and much more! This years’ competition began at 6pm on Friday, at which time all the teams were handed out 2 pork butts, a 20 pound turkey and 10 pounds of chicken quarters to cook to their desire. Turn ins were at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. After the first turn in, a “team meeting” was called at noon at which time a 10lb bag of potatoes were given to the contestants to make their best “side challenge” with a turn in at 4 p.m. Maximum points awarded for each meat was 120 and the side challenge was 60 with a maximum combined overall points of 420. Meats were judged by a 3 panel “blind judging” on taste, tenderness, originality, and presentation. Best pork. 5th Place with a score of 78, Team Buks & Spurs 4th Place with a score of 79, Team Nuts and Butts 3rd Place with a score of 84, Team Slow Motion 2nd Place with a score of 88, Team Smoke ‘Em If Ya Got ‘Em 1st Place with a score of 96, Team Ham Squad Best Turkey. 5th Place with a score of 81, Team Lil Taters 4th Place with a score of 85, Team Dirty Butts 4th Place with a score of 85, Team Smoke ‘Em If Ya Got ‘Em 3rd Place with a score of 96, Team Ham Squad 2nd Place with a score of 103, Team Blowin’ Smoke 1st Place with a score of 108, Team Kenny Best Chicken. 5th Place with a score of 104, Team Neighbros Back Yard BBQ 4th Place with a score of 105, Team Ham Squad 3rd Place with a score of 113, Team Kenny 2nd Place with a score of 118, Team Slow Motion 1st Place with a PERFECT score of 120, Team Rub My Butt Best Taters. 5th Place with a score of 45, Team Dixie Land Delite 4th Place with a score of 46, Team Buck and Spurs 3rd Place with a score of 51, Team Hickory Bent and Rail Bound 2nd Place with a score of 54, Team Lil’ Taters 1st Place with a score of 55, Team Rucks BBQ Overall winners. 10th Place with a score of 263, Team Dirty Butts 9th Place with a score of 266, Team Ruks BBQ 8th Place with a score of 267, Team Smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em 7th Place with a score of 275, Team Blowin’ Smoke 6th Place with a score of 277, Team Hickory Bent and Rail Bound 5th Place with a score of 279, Team Slow Motion 4th Place with a score of 286, Team Buks and Spurs BBQ 3rd Place with a score of 287, Team Rub My Butt 2nd Place with a score of 307, Team Kenny 1st Place with a score of 332, Team Ham Squad. We also had a best campsite decoration contest that had zero influence on the overall campsite cooking competition. It is just a fun side event that helps decorate the campsite and gives the contestants something fun to do to show off their decorating skills. Best Campsite winners were: 3rd Place, campsite #15, Team Hickory Bent and Rail Bound 2nd Place, campsite #12, Team Rucks BBQ 1st Place, campsite #2, Team 2A. There was also a 50/50 drawing and the winner received $575. Becky Downer was the recipient of that and she decided to donate ½ of her winnings back to Douthat SPEED Group and donate the other ½ to Surviving and Giving Back. Also, the overall winner of the competition won $1,000 but also decided to donate the winnings back to Douthat SPEED Group. There was great entertainment throughout the day with Patsy’s Dance Studio UDE kicking off the day at 10 a.m. followed by Garlynda’s Fancy Feet at 11 a.m. At noon, Alleghany Highlands Blues Society played music followed by A Rally Cry at 1:30 p.m. To end the evening at 4 p.m. Chad Nickell and the Loose Change played followed by the Awards Ceremony. We are very fortunate to receive the sponsors that we received and would like to extend our thanks to them. Our sponsors this year were Jackson River Community Credit Union, Total Plant Maintenance, Bartley’s Meat Market, Randy Perkins Farm Bureau, Highlands Community Bank, Nicely’s Auction Company, Ingevity, Olde Town Covington, Wright Way Motors, Ridge Line Therapy, Byers Inc, WestRock-Low Moor, Devils Backbone, Nicole Gumm Groseclsoe Insurance Solutions, Jason Helmintoller Alcova Mortgage, Alleghany Chamber of Commerce, West Rock, and Williams Fabrication-Jenfab. Once again, thank you all who came out and supported the Cook Off! Next year's event will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2022 with registration beginning at 9 a.m. on March 1, 2022! Ray Keen, President Douthat SPEED Group

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