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Mar 12, 2015

BBQ Smokeoff Nets Funds for ERD

 

Student organizers (l-r back row) Christi Chapman, Christian Rabone, Frank Samuelson; (l-r front row) Carrie Duncan, Sean Ekberg, Tom Dahlman, John Tober and Lecia Brannon. Team member not pictured is Brian Tarver. Photo by the Rev. Robert Chambers, MDiv '15

A barbecue competition, organized by students at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, raised more than $5000 for Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD), an international relief agency of the Episcopal Church.  For the third year now, the "Southwest Showdown" brought friends and neighbors, alumni and trustees to the Seminary campus to be merry and to feast. The panel of judges, including ERD staff member Chad Brinkman, tasted brisket and ribs from 14 teams who represented the Austin area, Oklahoma, Mississippi, West Texas, Houston and even the neighboring Austin Presbyterian Seminary.

 

Sean Ekberg, MDiv ’15, from the Diocese of Oklahoma, chaired the event with a fellow seminarians who organized children’s attractions and music by Rosie and the Ramblers. “This great event takes many hands to pull off,” Edberg said. "We had a great time, and welcoming 300 guests and helping the ministry of ERD made our hard work totally worth it.” 

 

Winner for the best brisket was the team from All Saints', Austin, the Holy Smokes, and best rib accolades went to the Posse East sports bar, Austin.  Sponsors for the event included the seminary’s Alumni Association, the Dioceses of Texas and West Texas, the seminary’s board of trustees and the student council.