SEYMOUR — First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis and the owners at Jimmie’s Place downtown have a fun — and spicy — way for people to help veterans this year.
Drugonis and friends came up with an “All-American Wing Eating Contest,” set to take place at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at Jimmie’s Place, a bar-restaurant at 133 Main St.
The contest is open to anyone 18 years and older. The entry fee is $100. Entry forms are available through adrugonis@seymourct.org or dcaruso@seymourct.org. Write “wing contest entry” in the subject line. Forms can also be picked up in person at Seymour Town Hall, 1 First St. or at Jimmie’s Place until the day of the contest. Call (203) 735‑6028 with questions.
People can also make donations during the event, without having to down wings.
All proceeds from the contest entry fees and other donations that roll in will directly benefitDisabled American Veterans, or DAV, a national nonprofit group.
“The veterans have given up so much for us, and this is the least we can do for them,” Drugonis said.
Drugonis said she and Dee Caruso, the town’s manager of operations and grants, got the idea for the benefit contest after a resident asked Drugonis to share a flyer about DAV to the town’s Facebook page.
Caruso’s son, Chris, owns Jimmie’s Place, and the bar’s wings are listed on the Connecticut Wing Trail.
The three put their heads together and came up with a wing eating contest and decided to host it the day before Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11).
Caruso said choosing DAV as the benefactor was a no-brainer.
“This organization helps disabled veterans in our area with home repairs and anything that they may need,” Caruso said.
Jimmie’s Place is donating the wings to the event. WPLR and the Wing Addicts will be on hand for the contest. The public is invited to attend.
A full list of rules is available on the entry form, but here are some of the basics:
*The first contestant to eat 50 wings in 25 minutes wins
*Contest is open to amateur eaters 18 and older and in good health
*Competitors may eat sitting down or standing up
*Chicken must be eaten directly off the bone; stripping the meat off the bone and eating all at once is not allowed
*Each competitor will start with five basic chicken wings, covered in sauce. As the competition progresses the wings will get hotter.
Click here for Jimmie’s Facebook page.
