{"id":235679,"date":"2012-08-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-08-03T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/phils-big-bbq-knocks-it-out-of-the-park-for-military-kids\/"},"modified":"2012-08-03T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2012-08-03T07:00:00","slug":"phils-big-bbq-knocks-it-out-of-the-park-for-military-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/phils-big-bbq-knocks-it-out-of-the-park-for-military-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Phil\u2019s BIG BBQ knocks it out of the park for military kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mentored kids get food, fun and baseball<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Morgan M. Hurley |\u00a0Downtown Editor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Local restaurateur and philanthropist Phil Pace is once again teaming his popular eatery, Phil\u2019s BBQ, with the Padres and the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of San Diego County, to bring a day of joy to the children of deployed local military service members and their supporters.<\/p>\n

\"Phil\u2019s<\/a>
BIG Tracy Trauthewein (left), “little” Heiko and Phil Pace, founder of Phil’s BBQ. (Photo by Ivan S. Harris)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In its fourth year, \u201cPhil\u2019s BIG BBQ\u201d will take over the large, open parking lot located at Imperial and Fourth avenues Downtown \u2013 just adjacent to PETCo Park and the main Trolley station \u2013 and throw what BBBS calls, \u201cone of the largest tailgates on the West Coast.\u201d<\/p>\n

Held Monday, August 6\u00a0this year, the doors will open at 4:30 p.m. and the BIG BBQ will end just in time for the Padres to take on the Chicago Cubs at 7:05 p.m. at nearby Petco Park.<\/p>\n

Attendees will get a full plate of Phil\u2019s popular BBQ, including chicken, ribs, two sides, and more. \u00a0Also joining the fun will be Ben and Jerry\u2019s of Seaport Village, a beer garden hosted by Karl Strauss, a 7-11 Slurpee Truck, face painting and an obstacle course from Kid Ventures, and music provided by Magic 92.5, who will be streaming their late-afternoon show live from the parking lot.<\/p>\n

Tickets to the tailgate party are $25 and include a seat for the game. Those with season tickets or anyone who already has a ticket for the night\u2019s game but want to participate and donate to a worthy cause can also attend the tailgate for $20. Phil\u2019s donates 100 percent of proceeds to BBBS of San Diego County.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gets bigger and bigger every year,\u201d said Chad Glidewell, Director of Sales and Marketing for Phil\u2019s BBQ, of the annual event.<\/p>\n

Over 2,300 pounds of ribs are expected to be served to the more than 3,000 people attending this year\u2019s pre-game fundraiser and Glidewell said they hope to exceed the $54,000 they raised for the mentorship program last year.<\/p>\n

Also courtesy of the sponsor, 1,000 \u201clittles\u201d (children of deployed, soon-to-be deployed or returning from deployment military members) will also be in attendance along with their \u201cBIGS,\u201d receiving both a hot meal and an evening at the ballpark, which is expected to be a first-time experience for many of them. Just before the game, one of those lucky \u201clittles\u201d will be selected by BBBS to deliver the first game ball out to the pitcher\u2019s mound, to kick-off the game.<\/p>\n

\"Phil\u2019s<\/a>
“Little” Chris and “BIG” Andrew Uber at the BIG BBQ last year. (Photo by San Diego Padres)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The August event is always held on a Monday, and Glidewell said the reason for that has become two-fold. Initially, Monday was easier because it is the one-day of the week that Phil\u2019s was closed and Pace himself could attend.\u00a0 However, after a handful of employees donated their time to help out that first year and returned to work to gush over their experience, Glidewell said over 100 employees signed up to volunteer the following year and 150 will do so this year. Now Monday has become a necessity to the organizers, but having that many trained staff onsite ensures a smooth operation, and that is a plus.<\/p>\n

According to a promotional video on the BBBS website about Phil\u2019s BIG BBQ, the \u201cball delivery program\u201d indirectly brought Phil\u2019s and the kids of local military families together. \u00a0Pace, who has never used traditional advertising methods the 14 years he has been in business, explained in the video that he was looking for ways to help underprivileged kids and turned to the Padres\u2019 ball delivery program. \u00a0He said the Padres soon told him about the military mentorship program and Phil\u2019s BIG BBQ was born in 2008.<\/p>\n

The fundraiser has since raised almost $200,000 for the local chapter of the international charity, an organization that overall has mentored millions of disadvantaged children in its 51 years of existence.<\/p>\n

\u00a0BBBS mentors military kids<\/strong><\/p>\n

Children growing up in the constantly changing world of a military family have difficult lives, but children with parents who deploy for long periods of time have it even more challenging, especially if a parent returns from deployment with added stresses or any physical or emotional injuries.<\/p>\n

\"Phil\u2019s<\/a>
‘Big Brother’ Marco Justiniano and ‘Little Brother’ Christian display some crafts they did together. (Photo courtesy BBBS of SDC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Big Brothers and Big Sisters (BBBS) of San Diego County decided to do something.\u00a0 Launched at Camp Pendleton in September of 2004 by then First Lady of California Maria Shriver, Operation BIGS was designed to help these elementary school-age children.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Operation BIGS] gives an added layer of stability and support and enhances the children academically and emotionally,\u201d said Tina Rose, Marketing Director for BBBS of San Diego County.<\/p>\n

The local program has since become the model for the national BBBS\u2019s \u201cMilitary Mentorship Program,\u201d and is now championed by First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden, as part of their focus on military families.<\/p>\n

Operation BIGS supports the five elementary schools located on Camp Pendleton and uses community center locations within each of the Navy and Marine Corps housing areas closer to Downtown.<\/p>\n

All monies received from this year\u2019s BIG BBQ will be used by Operation BIGS to recruit, screen, and train new BIGS, as well as match them with a suitable \u201clittle.\u201d Participants are asked to donate an hour of time per week to their matched child.<\/p>\n

\"Phil\u2019s<\/a>
‘Big sister’ Rachel Gellman and “little sister’ Cecilia at last year’s BIG BBQ. (Photo by San Diego Padres)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe also ensure [participating] children are safe by providing supervision of the weekly visits and ongoing follow-ups with the families,\u201d Rose said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always need more volunteers. Active duty, reserve, retired and civilian are all encouraged to participate. Take a chance to be a kid again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those interested in learning more about Operation BIGS can sign up at the BIG BBQ event, visit their website at sdbigs.org or call (858) 536-4900.<\/p>\n

Mission Hills to mission nothing\u2019s impossible<\/strong><\/p>\n

Phil\u2019s BBQ first opened its doors in a modest space on Goldfinch St in Mission Hills in 1998. As the smell of BBQ wafted through the neighborhood and word spread about it flavor, lines began to sprawl farther and farther around the block, as customers and their eager palettes patiently waited their turn inside.<\/p>\n

Soon their catering business exploded, and they eventually outgrew their small location.\u00a0 In 2007 they moved to a new building in Point Loma that quadrupled their former size and put them on the national map and allowing them to further expand to San Marcos in 2010.\u00a0 They are now planning a third location at Santee\u2019s Trolley Square in early November.<\/p>\n

According to Pace, rather than investing in advertising over the years, he and co-owner Jeff Loya opted instead to donate thousands of dollars to sponsorships like the BIG BBQ and other philanthropy efforts over the years.<\/p>\n

This past April, Phil\u2019s was one of 30 restaurants chosen around the country for the Food Channel\u2019s \u201cBest Sandwich in America,\u201d hosted by Adam Richman.\u00a0 Their El Toro tri-tip BBQ beef sandwich took the West Coast title, gaining the highest score in one of the 10 regions competing. Find out if the El Toro can take the national title in the final round on Wed., August 15 at 6 p.m. PST.<\/p>\n

To get tickets to Phil\u2019s BIG BBQ on August 6, visit philsbbq.net or stop in either Phil\u2019s BBQ restaurant.\u00a0 Tickets will also be made available at the event.<\/p>\n

Morgan M. Hurley can be reached at morgan@sdcnn.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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