Annual event mixes southern snack with local charity
South Carolina is home to an abundance of festivals and cook-offs celebrating foods like barbeque, pies, tomatoes and crawfish. But Jim Mishoe and Brent Davis thought there was a southern staple missing from the list: the boiled peanut.
In 2008 the duo began the Palmetto Peanut Boil, a competition for the best boiled peanuts. Davis tragically passed away in a car accident in 2010, but Mishoe has continued the event and ran its sixth annual boil on Saturday at The Publick House on Devine St. Fourty-five volunteers including members of the Carolina Dance Team, The Publick House employees and contestants gathered to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charity. This was the first year at this new location, as it was previously held at The Cock n’ Bull Pub, Davis’ Pub and The Loose Cockaboose.
Aside from the competition for the best boiled peanuts in Columbia, the event included cold drinks, a bounce house for kids, raffles and music from local artists Dave Britt, Ten Toes Up, Brent Lundy, Jeff Kozelski and Traye Horne Band.
Jason Farley, who represented his team, “Palmetto Peanuts,” walked away with the No. 1 award, but the participants knew the event was about much more than winning.
All the proceeds went to the Columbia Branch of The Ronald McDonald House Charity, which houses families of severely ill or injured children and offers support during the time.
Alayna Dunkerly, the market and communications manager for the branch, said the charity houses 350 families in Columbia each year.
“Events like this have a huge impact on these families,” she said. “They really rely on the community.”
In the last five years, the Palmetto Peanut Boil has raid about $15,000 for the charity. Ashley Martin, who has helped to organize and run the event each year, said although the amount of funds raised this year has not been confirmed, they anticipate total to be around $8,000, beating last year’s total of $5,500.
For Mishoe, starting the charity event was more than competition for a cause. The reason hit a little closer to home.
At 42-days old, his nephew, Nathan Morehouse Miller, passed away. Before then while he was in the neonatal ICU, Ronald McDonald House was home for the Virgina family who stayed near the George Washington University Hospital.
“The amount of support is unbelievable,” Mishoe said. “It keeps the whole community together.”
Mishoe is not the only one that has seen the support of the Ronald McDonald House.
Participant Todd Young said his family has also used the facility when his son was hospitalized for a month.
“It’s a friendly competition for a great cause,” he said.
Whether the attendees of the Palmetto Peanut Boil went because of a personal experience, to show their support, to eat some peanuts or compete, there’s no denying that Mishoe is overjoyed with the turnout.
Martin said that although the details are not confirmed, they are already planning their seventh event for next August.
“Each year the number of funds have risen and we do more,” Mishoe said. “Everyone is just here to support so we keep growing.”