Teams competed in a barbecue cook-off on Akins Pond Road at the fourth annual Grillin' For Healing fundraiser on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Grillin' For Healing is a barbecue cooking competition that raises money for the Hearts and Hands Clinic, a medical clinic that helps provide free care to low-income and medically uninsured adults in Statesboro.
The idea for the barbecue competition started 4 years when John Allen, a local surgeon, wanted to support the clinic, but couldn't do it surgically. He had a conversation with PK Huling about ways that he could offer his help, and they suggested that with John's love of barbecue, a barbecue cooking competition could be a good idea.
"At first I though, 'I don't know if that's going to work,' but it hits a group of people outside of the typical 'buy a table at a gala' or 5k groups, so it exposes the clinic to a whole new group of people," Executive Director of Hearts and Hands Clinic Kara Holland said.
Over the past four years, Grillin' For Healing has raised around $100,000 for the clinic. This year alone they raised $33,000.
The money that was raised goes to direct patient services like free medication and lab draws. It will help provide free access for approximately 300 new patients.
On Saturday, 10 teams competed in 3 categories for Grillin' For Healing, with the cooks turning in plates of chicken, ribs, and pork. They get judged on taste, texture, and the presentation of the box.
The first-place team wins $500, the second-place team wins $250, and the third-place team wins $150.
For visitors, there was live music, bouncy houses, and food trucks including The Saucy Shrimp and Wavee Shavee Ice to make it fun for the community.
There was also a table of volunteers who were selling t-shirts and koozies. Some of the volunteers were members of Zeta Tau Alpha from Georgia Southern University, volunteering for their Zeta Day of Service.
The overall team winners for 2025 were:
- 1st place: Sweats BBQ
- 2nd place: Lost Boys BBQ
- 3rd place: Charred and Dangerous
