Kiss a Pig event is ‘Totally Hawgsome’
by January 20, 2012 9:41 am 242 views
BENTONVILLE — The ‘80s are back, if even just for one night.
The Northwest Arkansas office of the American Diabetes Association will revisit the “Totally Hawgsome” ‘80s” for its 2012 Kiss a Pig Gala, set for March 3 at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center in Rogers.
On Thursday, the association hosted a kickoff luncheon in the Shewmaker Center at Northwest Arkansas Community College to introduce the slate of 10 fundraising candidates for the 10th annual gala. Event chairman Steve Wolf announced that Bret Michaels, formerly with the ‘80s big hair band Poison would perform. Michaels has had diabetes since he was 6 and is outspoken in the movement to stop it.
“Insulin is not a cure. It’s life support,” said radio personality Jon WIlliams, one of the 10 vying to raise enough money to kiss a University of Arkansas farm-bred pig named “Rock Star.” Pig pancreas were a first source of insulin, which is used to control diabetes. Insulin is now derived from other sources.
Williams and several of the other candidates talked Thursday about joining the fight against diabetes because they have friends or relatives who have suffered or died from the disease.
Other 2012 contestants are Amy Callahan,co-founder and chief of staff, Collective Bias; Jamie Cooper, category leadership manager, ConAgra Foods; Biffy Fletcher, director of sales and marketing, Wells Blue Bunny; Tressa Horton, account executive, CitiScapes Magazine; Lindsey Porter, account executive, Cheyenne Products; Jason Reiser, merchandising vice president for Health & Family Care, Sam’s Club; Tom Smith, a partner with the Smith & Howard Law Firm; William Trentham, realty manager for Walmart; and Gabe Wight, senior vice president and general manager of of client services for MARS Advertising.
Brian Cornell, president and chief executive officer of Sam’s Club, will be honorary chairman and speaker, though he did not attend Thursday’s luncheon.
The Kiss a Pig Gala is the American Diabetes Association’s largest local fundraising event, raising more than $1.8 million since its inception in 2003. It’s been said to be the largest annual fundraiser in the region. Much of the money raised is used in Arkansas for research and education, Wolf said.
The kick-off event gives candidates a chance to show their spirit for the campaign, usually with some sort of video or other visual.
Trentham brought laughs from the crowd with a video of a rap parody he recorded — complete with masked expletives — with friend Michael Pharis of Van Buren.
Competition is expected to be tough. Williams, host of the weekday morning show on KXNA-FM, 104.9 “The X,” said he would give away a trip to the listener who raises the most money for his cause.
Pig-kissers will be named in two categories — large and small business — and will perform their duties at the end of the gala. “Rock Star,” the recently weened piglet, made an appearance at the luncheon accompanied by her handler, Chris Hart.
More than 25 million children and adults in the United States are affected by diabetes, including about 235,000 in Arkansas and more than 35,000 in Northwest Arkansas. More information can be found at this website.