Lewes ping-pong group holds barbecue fundraiser

There were 150 chickens on the side of Savannah Road Aug. 6, but none were crossing.

They were being grilled in Otis Smith Park as part of a fundraiser for Lewes’ police and fire departments and the Open Space Alliance. The alliance is trying to raise more than $18 million to purchase and save the Fourth Street Forest and the Ard na Greine tract. 

The fundraiser idea was born around a ping pong table. Lewes Mayor Andrew Williams, Jason Burris, Matthew DiSabatino, John Gordon, Jim Baker and Lloyd Keys formed a ping-pong group called the Pong Brothers about six years ago. This was their way to serve in a different way. “This is the first year we’ve done this. We’ve got 150 full birds, 300 half chicken meals,” Williams said.  

Williams said the men’s wives made the baked goods, while their kids helped out at the checkout table. Williams’ sons even played music at the event. 

Burris used his grandfather’s chicken recipe when he cooked at the Milford Hospital Fair. “I did this every year as a kid with my grandfather and I have great memories of that. My son is going to college this year, and I always had in my list of things to do to teach him to do something for a day and give back some money to the community,” he said.

“We hope to make $3,000 to $5,000 – that’s our goal,” Williams said. He said they had also raised more than $1,000 on Venmo.

Williams said the group hopes to make the fundraiser an annual event.