Page 41 - JAN2020 BBQNEWS Digital Issue

the Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) offers both as a judge and a cook. There simply aren’t any real barriers to becom- ing involved in the sport and the benefits are endless. I find myself cheering for all the competitors who get calls and go home feeling good for them and thinking how it could be me next time. Well, to be honest, I do often won- der what the judges were thinking as they scored my steak ... only to realize, I sit on that side of the table too and try not to take it personally. I frequently trade phone calls, emails or texts with my fellow cooks to see what I might try next and never once has anyone refused to offer their ideas. The same goes for when I talk with KCBS cook teams about what I could do to improve my home cooks. I have seen cook teams helping each other, being mentors and even sharing supplies. It is pretty darn special that every- one wants you to succeed when you think about it.
Gretchen and I have also been fortunate to be part of the National BBQ News family. This has given us the opportu- nity to share with you every month the stories of BBQ peo- ple we have met. We are in awe of the energy, creative spirit and openness of the people we encounter. It makes writing about them easy and we hope you enjoy the stories we share. If you have any story ideas, we would love to hear from you. Our email is at the top of the page. We look forward to hearing from you.
In 2020, National BBQ News will be going on the Ben Que’n tour to celebrate their 30th anniversary. When listening to Kell talk about the tour, it is all about how grateful and thankful they
are for all the
people they
have met and
experiences
they have had
over the past 30
years. They are
looking forward
to rolling into
BBQ events
across the
country to con-
nect on a per-
sonal level with
all the friends
they have
known for years
and meeting and making new friends. I know Kell is busy finalizing the itinerary, so if you have a great contest you want him to visit, please reach out to him and let him know about it. You just never know where the Ben Que’n caravan will be pulling in for a visit. You can follow Kell and crew on their adventure by watching their video updates posted to their Facebook page, articles in National BBQ News and visiting with them in person at one of the contests they visit.
I mentioned being grateful, but joyful giving was also part of Pastor Wayne’s message. I have shared ex- amples of how welcoming and open the BBQ family is, so the spirit of joyful giving is certainly present. I marvel at what the BBQ
family does with its skills and resources. Whether it is the great work of volunteer-driven Operation BBQ Relief (oper- ationbbqrelief.org) serving hearty, home cooked meals the during times of disaster, people rallying behind members of the BBQ family struggling with illness or death, generous food donations or just the giving nature that I have wit- nessed. There are countless examples of organizers and pitmasters who participate in silent auctions, donate their time or the proceeds of their events to make our country an even better place to live. I do want to highlight a couple of the many examples. One of the daughters of a BBQ family had been saving all her summer allowance to donate to a local cause to help others. Being too young for Facebook, her mom posted about what she wanted to do and was looking for suggestions on where to donate the money. Talk about joyful giving and instilling solid family values
early in life! But it didn’t end there. Soon, other BBQ folks were posting that they would make matching gifts (kudos to who started that idea). In the end, the good deed of one person was magnified by the generous nature of people we all know. It was unassuming and it wasn’t for recognition (which is why I’m not naming the family involved) ... it was because there was a need and the personal joy they found in giving. Another example happened this summer when my nephew, a firefighter in Columbia, Missouri, was going to compete in a rib challenge to raise fund for his fellow firefighters who had been injured saving the lives and pro- tecting the property of people they didn’t know. I asked some of my BBQ friends if they would help his team out. It wasn’t long before Compart baby back ribs, Croix Valley “Private Stock” BBQ sauce, rubs from Rich Davis and the Q Crew and lots of BBQ “secrets” from seasoned pitmasters were on there way to Missouri. It makes you proud when you take a minute to think about the generosity of all the
friends we have met due to BBQ.
So, as we begin 2020, let us think about our personal “cup of grateful” and all the blessings it is filled with and how we can continue to be joyful givers of our talents, knowl- edge and resources.
In the world of BBQ ... it’s the people you meet ... and the friends you make.
JANUARY 2020
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