GREENDALE, Wis. — Veteran-owned Burn Pit BBQ hosted its sixth annual Backyard Bash barbecue competition at Explorium Brewpub this Labor Day weekend. The competition raises money for a different local nonprofit supporting veterans each year.
Fifteen teams competed this year.
Greg Fischer, a Marine Corps veteran and co-founder of Burn Pit BBQ, started the competition to give back to fellow veterans.
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"As a veteran business, we always want to continue to try and give back to local veteran nonprofits that are doing so much for those that have served and continue to serve us," Fischer said.
Each year, Fischer selects a different local veteran-focused nonprofit to receive the proceeds. This year's beneficiary is Waupaca-based EGGin' 4 Heroes.
"We take big green egg grills. And when you are cooking on them, that’s called egging. So we take these around on our trailer and we go around to hero organizations and provide the food portion of an event they have going on," said Matt Purchatzke of EGGin' 4 Heroes.
They aim to serve veterans, first responders, healthcare workers and educators.
"When they called and told us we were going to be the beneficiary, it just made our year. Cause we try to provide all of our food to the veterans and organizations at little to no charge. Events like this are what keeps us going and supporting our mission," Purchatzke said.
Fischer said the mission of EGGin' 4 Heroes was a natural fit for the competition.
"Grilling and barbecuing, feeding veterans — it all aligned with what we are trying to do here as well," Fischer said.
It's Paul Klawien's fourth year competing at Backyard Bash with his team Aaron's Brass Klaw.
"We won second place ribs last year, first place sausage two years ago, so we are hoping to keep the belt," Klawien said.
He feels the event is about more than just winning.
"We want to win but really, it is just about having fun, raising money for a good cause and enjoying barbecue," Klawien said.
Last year, competition registration, tasting tickets and raffle items raised about $7,000. Fischer hopes to surpass that total this year.
"When you see all the people having fun and the amount that we've raised, it just continues to energize us and make us want to continue to give back," Fischer said.
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