By TIM HOWSARE
Editor
A benefit cook off is being held this Saturday, June 22, for Braelee Whitmire, a 4-year-old girl from Borger who is having surgeries in New York City on Wednesday for scoliosis and chiari malformation.
Scoliosis, a common condition, is a sideways curvature of the spine. Chiari malformation is a rare condition in which the brain tissue extends into the spinal canal. It occurs when part of the skull is abnormally small or misshapen, pressing on the brain and forcing it downward.
Braelee’s mother, Lacy, said her daughter was diagnosed when she was 2.
She said the surgery is not a guarantee, but that they are hopeful it is going to work.
The Whitmire family is expected to be in NYC for three weeks, and Braelee’s surgery and time away from home will be costly.
To help defray costs, David Hunt, who heads Neighbors Helping Neighbors, is hosting the cook off on his property in Carson County three miles south of US 60 on County Road L near Panhandle.
The cookout will be held at the 7H Arena, which Hunt said is a rodeo arena on his 12 acres of property.
Hunt said he first started doing the benefits to help individuals and families like the Whitmores since 2007.
“They started off as rodeos and have progressed to cook offs,” he said.
Hunt said he heard about Braelee through one of the long-time participants in the cook offs.
“We coordinated with the mother are were able to put this together,” he said.
The cook off is open to the public for $8 a plate. To-go plates are available.
The cost to enter the two-man cook off is $100 with grills starting around 6 p.m. Friday after the meat is inspected. Categories include pork spare ribs, pork butt pulled and street tacos (cooks choice of ingredients). Turn in times on Saturday are 11 a.m. for ribs, noon for pulled pork and 1 p.m. for tacos.
There also is a kids cook off (12 and under) on Friday for a $20 entry fee. Cheeseburger turn in is 7 p.m. and cook’s choice turn in is 8 p.m. Judging will follow.
Concession stands are available.
For more information, call David Hunt at 806-681-2493 or Heath Hunt at 806-236-9911.
If you wish to help the Whitmire family but cannot participate in or attend the cook off, call Lacy Whitmire at 806-395-1892.
