Gumbo Cook Off in Support of Injured Football Players
Gumbo, football and sunshine: three key things that can make any small Louisiana town excited.
Saturday, March 9, at the Ponchatoula Country Market, Ponchatoula High School Football Team sponsored their annual gumbo cook off as a fundraiser to support the footballs teams booster clubs fund for injured players.
The initiative for starting the fund was the love from the boosters — mostly moms of the players on the football team — who wanted to ensure that injured players were taken of.
The booster club will also be allocating $500 from the revenue of the cook off as a scholarship for a lucky graduating senior in memory of Lucy King, the late daughter defensive line coach, Doug King and Lucy King, his wife. Lucy passed suddenly last fall at the age of four months due to a heart condition.
For just only eight dollars, one could enjoy all the gumbo that their hearts desire. Locals loved the energy of the festivities. Live music, a silent auction, plus everything the pleasant little town of Ponchatoula has to offer was happening during the cook off.
Ponchy native, Shane Crowe, attended that cook off last Saturday to enjoy the gumbo. Crowe commented, “It was so fun to see the town come together and just enjoy themselves. I loved the gumbo, it was endless and so delicious. I enjoyed going through the little country market and going to the antique shops along the main strip in Ponchatoula. “
People from all over came out to support the booster club by enjoying themselves at the cook off. Some also got to experience life in Ponchatoula.
Peyton Tillotson, of Belle Chasse, who is attending Southeastern Louisiana University, went to the cook off as a way to experience life on the north shore. Tillotson said, “It was a great experience. Yeah, we have gumbo cook off on the south shore, but just the atmosphere of the people here is amazing and what stood out to me. It was cool seeing the little shops in Ponchatoula, but was a little odd to see a live alligator in the middle of the town.”
While enjoying food, people were delighted to know that what they were doing was supporting a great cause while also having a good time.
Crowe also admitted, “It really made me happy to know that just by enjoying gumbo, I was able to help a great cause. Having friends that played on the football team, I know that support like this means a lot.”
Tillotson added, “Since I am not from here I don’t know many players that the club supports but it just feels good to know that I can help them out.”
As the cook off ended, and the winners for each category were announced, the booster club thanked each one of their chefs as they cooked all day in support of the athlete of the Ponchatoula High Football Team.
