Monken and Hunt Prepare to "Kiss-a-Pig" for American Diabetes Association
2/17/2011 9:47:00 PM | Football
STATESBORO, Ga. - Valentine's Day may have just passed, but Georgia Southern Football Coach Jeff Monken and local celebrity businessman Tim "Bubba" Hunt are preparing to pucker up for a good cause. For the first time ever, Statesboro will have two contestants in the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Kiss-a-Pig regional fundraiser as Monken and Hunt will compete against community leaders from across the Coastal Empire.
The theme of the 2011 event is "Swine Wars," spoofing the ever-popular Star Wars franchise and pits Monken and Hunt against more than 15 participants in the 19th-annual contest. The campaign begins Saturday, March 5th and the team or group that raises the most money has the honor of kissing the pig at the celebratory gala at the end of the Kiss-a-Pig campaign on May 7th.
The Kiss-a-Pig fundraising effort pays homage to the pig as insulin was originally derived from the pancreas of the animal. The life-saving and life-sustaining discovery of insulin in 1921 has provided effective treatment for millions of diabetics who are insulin dependent.
Events to directly support Kiss-a-Pig fundraising for the Bulloch County team will be announced at a later date.
The last two contests have raised more than $20,000 each year with Beaufort Memorial Hospital CEO Rick Toomey raising $21,000 last year and Beaufort mayor Billy Keyserling bringing in $27,000 in 2009. Kiss-a-Pig is the largest diabetes awareness and fundraising campaign of the Southeast Georgia/Coastal South Carolina American Diabetes Association and the combined effort of Kiss-a-Pig events have raised in excess of $3.5 million dollars since 1993.
Contributions are accepted through the area website at www.diabetes.org/SavannahKAP or by calling 912-353-8110, ext. 3091 or 3093, with the designation to the Bulloch County team of Hunt and Monken. When donations are received by the Bulloch County team, the names of the contributors will be posted on the website's honor roll list.
All funds raised during the Kiss-a-Pig campaign benefit the American Diabetes Association, the nation's leading organization dedicated to curing diabetes and improving the lives of all people affected by diabetes. Diabetes is the nation's fifth deadliest disease, killing more than 220,000 Americans each year. It is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke, adult blindness, kidney failure and non-traumatic amputations.
For more information on how to get involved in Kiss-a-Pig, contact Maria Center at 912-353-8110, ext. 3091 or mcenter@diabetes.org.
