Buy a "Brat" for a Good Cause

What started as a small fundraiser nearly six years ago for the local fire department has turned into a major annual event in Gulf Shores, Ala.

On Saturday, Feb. 4, 2006  from 10:30  a.m. to 3 p.m, rain or shine, several hundred Snowbirds from 10 area clubs will descend on the Meyer Civic Center in Gulf Shores to lend a hand cooking, serving and cleaning up after several thousand Snowbirds and community members at the “Bratfest”.

When the day is finished, 4000  “Brats”, will have been served and thousands of dollars generated for Alabama Gulf Coast-area fire stations.

The Brats are sold for $2 and a drink for $1.

What exactly is a “Brat?”

“They are a mix of beef, pork and varied spices,” says Bratfest founder Bob Gilray. “They are served with a special secret sauerkraut recipe, diced onions and ketchup and mustard.”

How did this all start?

“We were as a club collecting aluminum cans and plastic because the firemen wanted to buy imagers and they cost something like $1500 to $20,000. I kept thinking, My God, they are going to be collecting cans in this town for 100 years,” said Gilray, a member of the Wisconsin Club. “Up home when wanted to raise money we had a Bratfest and we  raised good money on it.”

The first year, the Bratfest was so successful that the committee ran out of Brats in three hours. Today , the committee has doubled the number of Brats ordered to 4000 and they expect a sell out.

The one-day five hour event takes more than 300 volunteers to put on and thousands of man hours to prepare for. The spirit of cooperation extends to the community where local firemen donate their time and muscles hauling in grills, food suppliers donate items at cost and local businesses donate posters and help spread the word.

The event has become so popular among the Snowbirds the committee has no problem recruiting the 300 volunteers.

“At 5:30 that morning will have 300 workers and 95 percent have never met each other,” Gilray says. “The nice thing about it has been in the four years we have gone through 1000 workers and never had anyone say don’t call me again.”

 The event also includes live musical entertainment. A drive-through service is available for the handicapped and in case of rain

Snowbird Clubs participating include Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Details: Ed Raymond 251-968-5517


For other Gulf Coast News see Gulf Coast Traveler.