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Wickliffe Block Watch event mixes fun with focus
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Kid's Hot Dog Eating Champion Maya Gamertsfelder (center) won the eating competition by ingesting five hot dogs in ten minutes. Halfway through her ten minutes, "Maya the Queen Mouth" looked happy with her progress.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .A highlight of the July 9 Block Watch Party held at Wickliffe Christian Christian Church was the exciting Hot Dog Eating Competition. In the adult competition, Cody Gamertsfelder (left) and Tom Smith (right) tied for first place by scarfing down seven hot dogs in ten minutes. Cory Wilfong (center) took home the second place prize.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Madelyn Markota (left) and Gabrielle Riccardi looked scary as they showed off the face paint that made them look like vampires covered in spider webs.
m,By SARAH FOOR
Since the Wickliffe Block Watch began in 2008, they have had a serious goal – keeping Austintown township’s streets safe.
Every summer, however, the Block Watch gathers at Wickliffe Christian Church to offer community fun and games to spread positivity in the community.
The members of the Block Watch patrol the areas between Raccoon Road, New Road, Meridian, Crum and Four-Mile Run Road by foot and by car. South Wickliffe watch captain June Galbraith said the work of the group never ceases.
“Our eyes are always on the street and we’re always vigilant. We’ve reported many incidents over the last year, but we always need to keep our neighborhood safe for everyone,” Galbraith said of the organization.
On the afternoon of July 9, fun was the focus for the Block Watch organization. The group invited the community to enjoy an antique car show, corn hole, face painting, demonstrations by area safety forces and crafts provided by the Green Team.
The highlight of the event was the Hot Dog Eating Contest, which was offered to kids and adults. Each contestant in the contest was given a plate of hot dogs, a bottle of water, and 10 minutes to finish as many as possible.
In the first annual competition, Cody Gamertsfelder and Tom Smith tied for first place in the adult competition by eating seven hot dogs in 10 minutes. Cody Gamertsfelder stayed by to cheer on his daughter, Maya, during the kid’s competition, where she ate five hot dogs in the allotted time.
“I’ll buy you some treats at Dairy Queen if you win,” Cody Gamertsfelder told his daughter, as incentive.
Rubbing her stomach during her speed eating, Maya Gamertsfelder said honestly, “I think I’ll pass.”