Grillin & Chillin event raises money for Humane Society and prospects for expanded event
Published 2:21 pm Monday, June 9, 2025
Jeremiah Mallard of CF Barbecue Smokeshow applies sauce to ribs during the Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition Saturday at the Mower County Fairgrounds. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Jeff Sieberg of Not Bad BBQ out of Rochester puts ribs into the smoker to finish during the Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition Saturday at the Mower County Fairgrounds.
Brandon Moriarity works the smoker for Ricky’s Ribs during the Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition Saturday at the Mower County Fairgrounds. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Matt Wiese, of Veasel’s Bone Lickin’ BBQ out of St. Peter dresses his ribs for judging during the Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition Saturday at the Mower County Fairgrounds. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Jeremiah Mallard slices gets ribs ready for tasting Saturday during the Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition at the Mower County Fairgrounds. CF Barbecue Smokeshow is out of St. Peter. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Jeremiah Mallard slices into to some ribs as competitors began getting their samples prepared for judging Saturday during the Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition at the Mower County Fairgrounds. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Ribs finish on the smoker of Not Bad BBQ, operated by Jeff Sieberg during the Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition Saturday at the Mower County Fairgrounds. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Smokers work during Saturday’s Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition at the Mower County Fairgrounds. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Ribs from Bone Lickin’ BBQ sit out after being pulled and cut during the CF Barbecue Smokeshow during the Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition Saturday at the Mower County Fairgrounds. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
People begin filtering in and getting their taste of ribs Saturday during the Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition at the Mowe County Fairgrounds. The event was a fundraiser for the Mower County Humane Society. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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It was a day of winning — both for lovers of good barbecue and the Mower County Humane Society.
Saturday’s first ever Grillin & Chillin Backyard BBQ Rib Competition raised around $4,500 for the Humane Society and provided a template for how the event could be in the future.
“We know there is a desire for a barbecue event in the community from this past one,” said Discover Austin, MN Executive Director Nancy Schnable. “The community proved they wanted one.”
Even though the event was under the threat of rain throughout the day, 15 competitive barbecue teams came together for the day-long event, with the public coming in for tasting later in the afternoon when judging was to start.
That within itself was a good indicator of what the future could hold as Schnable said the goal was between 12-15 teams. Not only did they get the top end of the estimate, Schnable said that there were teams on a waiting list.
“The weather was a little sketchy in the beginning, but the barbecuers themselves did a fantastic job,” Schnable said. “It was a pretty good fundraiser for the humane society.”
The event left an impression on the Humane Society as well as beneficiaries of Discover Austin’s efforts.
The feedback has been enough to let those involved know there is interest in doing another fundraiser next year including a possible pairing with the Mower County Historical Society as well as input coming from the Mower County Fair itself — all in an effort to make it a bigger event.
“Pretty good for a first-time shot,” said Kelly Rush, who manages the cat side of the Humane Society. “I thought it was a great event.”
As of late, the Humane Society has been the beneficiary of a number of causes to help with its work at the shelter. Groups in Austin have come together to help raise money for supplies for an organization that is 100% volunteer run.
“All of the fundraisers that have been done for the Humane Society have been other organizations that do it on our behalf,” Rush said, adding that both realtors in Austin as well as schools are examples of those who have held fundraisers in one fashion or another.
These kinds of efforts are important because of the two-sided coin that being volunteer-run can be.
“Being 100% volunteers has its ups and downs,” Rush said. “We don’t have the expenses for wages as 100% of the money comes in direct to our cause. But to get serious volunteers … long term volunteers … it’s difficult.”
Which can become a challenge, especially this year where both the cat and dog sides of the operation are seeing record numbers.
On the cat side, Rush said there are currently 164 cats and kittens with over 30 dogs. Numbers are so high that the Humane Society isn’t taking in any animals unless there is an adoption.
“Spaying and neutering is obviously not happening,” said Rush who added that the effects of spaying and neutering being discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt. “We’re still trying to catch up with that.”
Rush said all of the reasons for the increase aren’t completely known, but rather tends to be the number of things working in conjunction.
Still, the load is mitigated somewhat by efforts like Saturday’s event, which plays a dual role.
“We try to bring visitors to Austin,” Schnable said. “An event that brings the Austin community together, but then brings visitors in for these events.”
