The genesis of a new Boerne 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Texas Open Fire Fellowship, is grounded in a true Texas cooking tradition – grilling.
It all started when a group of local fellows who love to grill realized they could use their favorite pastime to give back.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group, comprised of Boerne professionals, would get together at Al Frugoni’s former warehouse on Johns Road to grill, chat and socialize. It didn’t take long before they found themselves discussing ways they might help the community, which culminated in the first Texas Meat Up to feed first responders last March.
Sean Hatley, president of Texas Open Fire Fellowship, said the members are passionate about barbecue and Boerne.
“The goal is to give our first responders a great day, with great food and great company – and to let them know how much we all appreciate them,” Hatley said. “So, we formed the nonprofit to give back to the community, a concept we call ‘Grilling for Good.’”
When the warehouse Frugoni was leasing recently was sold, the fellowship needed a new spot for its get-togethers and the upcoming event on Sept. 17.
Mike Stratis, owner of MPS Construction & Design and Random Beer Garden, also an afficionado of the group’s informal “meat ups” during COVID, wholeheartedly said he believes in the mission. He quickly stepped up.
Together with his wife and business partner, Mary Kanafani, they volunteered the space at Random Beer Garden for this special occasion. (They also hope to reopen the Random Beer Garden sometime in the future.)
“Now that we are a nonprofit, Grilling for Good events will be a great way to raise money for worthy causes in Boerne – and we all enjoy the fellowship,” Stratis said.
Besides showing love to first responders, Al Frugoni (of AlFrugoni.com) said this will be an unparalleled Texas Meat Up.
Frugoni, a Boerne resident whose company is all about open-fire cooking, offers equipment, recipes and seasonings to help make the experience great for experts and novices alike. Thanks to his great presence on social media – more than 1.5 million followers – many pros from his virtual community also are coming to town to support and show off their grilling chops.
“We’re taking advantage of this gathering to bring in professional grillers from across the country, Canada and Mexico,” he said. “The spectacle alone will be worth a visit. We will be cooking whole animals – alligators, goats, pigs – as well as traditional fare like chicken, brisket and steak. But truly the star of the event is the whole steer that will be grilled slowly over an open fire, Argentine style.”
Hatley said the goal of the Sept. 17 event at the Random Beer Garden is not just to feed the first responders, who can attend for free. They hope this fellowship event will be a joyful way for guests to support the charity and provide funds to create spectacular grilling events for first responders all year long.
“We host events and cook for all first responders in Kendall County, including the Kendall County Sherriff's Office, Boerne Police Department, Boerne Fire Department, EMS personnel,” Hatley said. “But this event will also be a fundraiser to support future ‘Grilling for Good’ events planned for 2022-23. We feel something as simple as providing great barbecue shows our honored guests that we care for them and their families and appreciate what they do for our community each day. In the future, we seek to expand our random acts of kindness through charitable works with emphasis on helping children, families, our community and our state.”
If you love grilled foods and barbecue and giving back to the community, get ready for a great day. Doors open at 2 p.m. so guests can watch the cooks demonstrate their skills and share techniques, with all-you-can-eat food service from 4 to 8 p.m. Expect to enjoy live music, beer and alcohol (available for purchase), a raffle and silent auction with featured items like a guitar autographed by George Strait and a pair of shoes autographed by Manu Ginóbili.
To learn more and to purchase tickets, visit www.TexasOpenFire.org.
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