Dan’s Variety Bakery, Team Knotty Mama raise money for cancer research
This article is brought to you by Jeff Lipinski for Howard County Commissioner District 1.
The skies opened up and poured rain like it would never end on the afternoon of Aug. 26. With just 30 minutes before the first Dan’s Variety Bakery Donut Eating Contest to benefit Relay for Life, it seemed as if the contest would be a wash-out.
But organizer Jeff Haworth was unfazed.
“It’s going to stop raining,” he said with the confidence of a veteran meteorologist.
Though Haworth spent his career as a truck driver for the City of Kokomo, his weather prognostication came to pass. With just moments before the 6 p.m. start of the event, the clouds moved east, and the sun shone down on the Dan’s parking lot. It was time to eat some donuts.
The contest was held in conjunction with Team Knotty Mama, the Relay for Life squad Haworth and his wife, Sheila, founded after she fought off cancer. Twice. She was first diagnosed six years ago, and treatment put it into remission, only to have it return a short time later.
The affliction has been absent for three years. Two more years, and Sheila will be considered a survivor. But she and Jeff are 100-percent warriors in the fight against cancer. They formed a relay team and set about raising funds any way they could.
“We wanted to help our first year, so we just asked friends for donations,” said Jeff. “In our second and third years, we had a couple different fundraisers, but we decided to do something different this year.
“I thought, let’s have a donut eating contest, especially since my family has owned Dan’s for 51 years. Sheila gives me strength every day, seeing what she’s been through and where she’s at now.”
Carrie Haworth, who owns the bakery along with her husband Brian, explained that they were more than happy to help.
“We’re just trying to help continue their legacy and help this community,” said Carrie. “We’re just so thankful that everyone came to participate in this. It’s just really nice to see the community come together.”
As more than 100 people filled the parking lot, Haworth thanked his former co-workers from the City of Kokomo Street Department, as well as his family, for helping make the event happen. He also gave thanks to local businesses that played a role in promoting and supporting the effort.
With the preamble completed, Carrie explained the rules to the competitors. They had eight minutes to pound down as many glazed donuts as they could. Once time expired, they were required to sit for two minutes before the contest was concluded, as regurgitating the pastries before that time would result in a disqualification.
With the rules clearly explained, the nine contestants in the women’s division took their seats at the table. The competition was close, though the winner, Abbey, walked away with the $500 prize after downing 14 donuts. Second place finished off seven donuts, and third place was split between two competitors, who ate six donuts each.
The men’s division was much more robust, with 19 competitors entering the competition. This required the eating to take place in two heats, with the top three amounts eaten taking the prizes, regardless of when they competed.
The first heat was dominated by Teddy, a native of the Chicago area. He consumed 23 donuts and appeared to be the odds-on favorite.
“I’m not going to win,” said Teddy after his round. “I’m used to doing these, but I needed to eat more. It’s not going to be enough.”
As he said this, Teddy pointed to a tall young man who was walking to the table for the second heat.
“He and I do a lot of these things,” said Teddy. “He doesn’t know me. I don’t know him, but I knew he would be here. But I’ll win something because there are multiple prizes.”
Teddy certainly made perhaps the easiest prophecy ever uttered, as his eating rival, Jack Legath of Cleveland, Ohio, demolished the competition in his heat. Seemingly unfazed by the obscene number of donuts, he tore through 24 donuts with more than two minutes to spare.
Checking with the counter to ensure the win was secured, Legath leisurely added another four donuts to his tally before time was called. After the competition, he explained that he learned about the contest from a friend who lives on the Indiana/Ohio border.
“And then I saw it on Facebook,” said Legath. “I look for hidden gems like donut shops that do this, and sometimes people tag me.”
He demurred slightly when asked if eating contests are things he does professionally.
“Professionally is a loose term,” said Legath. “I would say I’m the guy to beat, typically.”
This was the first time Legath had tried a donut eating contest, previously competing in a donut hole contest, “but that’s not the same,” he said.
Most importantly, however, is that hundreds of dollars were raised for Relay for Life. The annual walk takes place Sat., Sept. 12, around the Howard County Courthouse, 104 N. Buckeye St.
The event, which runs from noon until 10 p.m., will feature live music from Hunter Wainscott, Jason Wells, and Elvis, along with food from Mama Karen’s, Tacos Toluca, Tasty Dawg, and Chapman’s BBQ. There will be craft vendors as well. Of course, the event involves walking laps around the courthouse in a fundraising effort to support the American Cancer Society. For more information, contact Sherri at 765-457-7277.
See additional photos and video from this event on the Lantern’s Facebook page.