Council Grants PCCA BBQ Fundraiser Permit

Easley City Council has granted a permit allowing the Pickens County Cancer Association to hold another two-day barbecue fundraiser in Old Market Square.

Pig Pickin’ for the PCCA is slated for April 5-6, 2013.

PCCA Executive Director Cynthia Smoak addressed council before the vote.

“I’m here requesting that we do this again,” Smoak said. She said last year’s event, the first barbecue fundraiser, went “great.”

“We raised $7,000 net for the PCCA,” Smoak said. “It was fun – no incidents, no  craziness. Fun was had by all.”

Councilwoman Libby Dodson asked if alcohol would be served at the 2013 Pig Pickin’. The PCCA’s original request to be allowed to sell alcohol at the inaugural event drew a lot of outcry from some residents, but council voted to allow the sale of beer and wine.

Smoak said that alcohol would be served at the 2013 event.

Mayor Larry Bagwell emphasized that there had been no incidents at the first event.

Council voted 4-2 to grant the permit. Dodson and Councilman Thomas Wright

voted against the resolution to grant the permit.

The 2013 event will not conflict with the Mauldin BBQ Festival, as the 2012 event did, Smoak said.

Mauldin has agreed to hold its event on another weekend next year, Smoak said.

The PCCA’s recent yard sale fundraiser was a tremendous success, raising $1,000, Smoak said.

That will allow the PCCA to purchase two shipments of Ensure, a nutritional supplement used by cancer patients.

For more information on the PCCA, visit pccancer.org