PORTAGE, Mich. (WOOD) — A Portage restaurant hosted a hot dog eating contest Saturday to raise money for charity and to bring awareness to suicide prevention.
Daring patrons packed into Michiganders WindyCity Dawghouse to test their stomach capacity. A $20 donation bought diners a seat at the bar and the chance to scarf down as many hot dogs as possible in five minutes. The winner received a gift certificate.
In addition to the contest, raffle prizes donated from local businesses were up for grabs. The restaurant also pledged to donate $1 for each sandwich sold Saturday.
The fundraiser was held in honor of Sarah Petty, who took her own life in 2018.
“Robert Frost, the poet, said, ‘In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life. It goes on.’ And I think that’s a pretty important message: that now is now. But there is a whole future ahead of you. Life will always keep moving forward. So even though you’re hurting now, keep going,” said Leila Groh, the general manager of Michiganders WindyCity Dawghouse.