Page 38 - NOV2021 Digial Issue

CHRISTY JONES
bigdsqtn@gmail.com
Chasing illuminated hearts down the inter- state, hour 9 of the 13 needed to make it to Omaha, Nebraska was beginning to wear on this driver. Would one more Love’s stop pro- vide the caffeine to get us there?
Our arrival to the Omaha cookoff and Ne- braska State Championship was fueled by more than truckstop food. The first seven months had been kind to us as a winning husband and wife duo, but August (my birthday month) proved to be kinder to me than Rodney. How two people can run the same flavor profile and technique to find one hit more consistently in August is a question for the cosmos.
Nevertheless, as a team, we are one heart.
Hearts have two chambers and need both
pumping to keep the body alive. In this
spirit I began loading the supplies in the
truck and told Rodney to get in. We were headed to a different re- gion where his luck was going to change. When we arrived in Ne- braska, the heart and soul of the SCA family was alive as people came together to keep the event going in the wake of a personal tragedy and loss.
Corey Rush organized a great event any SCA cook would be proud
to attend. Omaha Steaks donated a beautiful set of ribeyes, each individually cut and vac- uum-sealed. It was anyone’s game to win. Fortunately, my hunch was on to something as Rodney took first place in Steak A and 2nd place in the Nebraska State Champi- onship. He had an entire 13-hour ride home to thank me for forcing him into this road trip.
The next weekend found us at Diamond Bear Brewing in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Everybody was a winner as their gift of a six- pack ensured no cook would go home empty-handed that day. First-time cook, Dustin Kelly was immediately welcomed into the SCA family cooking in the parking lot corner with legends of the game. Seeing Mr. Allen Newton and Jim Holland, two sea- soned cooks with hearts of gold, was a re- minder of the meaning of SCA family. A
good conversation with either of them will make it worth the drive.
The road took us on to Booneville, MS where bright red hearts were on display. The Burns family are a big part of the heart of the SCA. Their second annual event raised over $10,000 for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and FedEx Family House. Clint and Darbi Burns pour their heart into this event, sharing personal tragedy and turning it into a blessing for others.
It is rare to find people who can take a pain so deep that it would paralyze most, and turn it into love in action. The army of family and friends who make this event a success each year are part of why it is so special. Where else will you see a judge like Jacqueline Collins, win the $$$ jackpot drawing and immediately turn around and us that money to raise the auction bids. She walked away the proud owner of a PK Go. That grill just happened to make its way to two little boys who are headed to their 4th kids cook this month.
And that is why we love these events. It is incredible how a single day can bless so many. Watching it happen is enough to make even the Grinch’s heart grow.
We didn’t think our hearts could grow any bigger. Yet, we found ourselves just south of St. Louis at the Vets and Pets cookoff,
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NOVEMBER 2021
Heart & Soul: The SCA Steak Trail is Burning Red
Rodney Jones shows off his first place Steak A and 2nd Place Nebraska State Championship Trophies.