Teachers, hockey players bring food drive alive

By Jo-Ann Jennings Staff Writer joann.jennings@baledger.com   –   Broken Arrow Ledger

Feet-on-bleachers stomped out the three-beats which precede, “We will. We will rock you.”

Hands in the air.

“Go!”

Eyes watered.

Noses ran.

Throats and tongues burned.

The crowd went wild.

Is it possible to sweat flames?

Childers’ teachers and hockey players from the Tulsa Oilers, who were representing the eighth grade at Childers Middle School, made the class proud, coming out in first place after the team collectively consumed 31 blistering jalapenos in the allotted 60 seconds. The seventh grade fire-eaters choked down 30. The sixth grade bravados tried hard but only managed to consume 25 of the threatening green veggie.

Caps flew off bottles of white and chocolate milk and water waiting on the table, offering grace equal to a water hose in the desert, adding whole new meaning to the words “gulp” and “put out the fire.”

Sarah Martin, sponsor for Childers’ student council, Spanish teacher, and huge hockey fan instigated the competition five years ago with the Oilers. Whataburger joined the whimsical but sadistic fun two years ago. “It’s kind of taken on a life of its own,” said Martin before the competition.

Rob Loeber, broadcaster and P.R. man for the Oilers, said the jalapeno-eating contest kicked off a food drive for Broken Arrow Neighbors. The contest determined which class got a head start point-wise toward getting to play the Oilers at Childers, or as Loeber phrased it, “competing for a shot at glory,” getting to play a professional hockey team as well as grabbing the Dead Turkey Trophy.

Hockey player Brady Ramsey added there are more special days coming up in November. Nov. 9 and 16 are double points day for any food item donated to the food drive. Nov. 11 the kids are to complete by bringing in pasta or pasta sauce. Nov. 18 is peanut butter and jelly day. Students are to dress up with a friend with one bringing peanut butter and the other, jelly, 50 points per duo. Nov. 19 is Dead Turkey Day when each turkey donated by a student brings in 500 points for their team.

Principal Stacy Replogle, who managed six jalapenos, said the school goal is to fill 175 crates with food for BAN. The winners will play the Oilers.

Joy Anderson, who was on the winning team said, “I came prepared with my candy. I ate a Jolly Rancher before and after the competition. They really weren’t hot until I stopped eating them.”