Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

A piggie peck

By Times Staff Writer
Published March 9, 2008

Vernon Yates, left, of Wildlife and Rescue and Rehabilitation, holds a pig for Fire Rescue's Jim Warman to kiss as part of a fundraiser.
	[Atoyia Deans | Times]

As emergency management division chief for Largo Fire Rescue, Jim Warman has done a lot in the name of duty. - But this week marked one of his most, er, unusual assignments yet. - Warman was the winner of Largo Fire Rescue's Kiss a Pig fundraiser, which was held to support the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.

On Wednesday afternoon on the lawn of Largo City Hall, Warman puckered up for his porcine smooch as a crowd of onlookers cheered.

The unnamed pig - a female - was provided by the SPCA.

It didn't help that the little porker's face was smeared with whipped cream, the remnants of a big slice of cake someone fed her a few moments earlier.

So, chief, how was it?

"It was fun," Warman said, chuckling. "It will probably be the one and only opportunity I will have to kiss a pig."

Largo Fire Rescue nominated three chiefs to participate in the fundraiser. For three weeks, collection jars bearing the nominees' photos were placed in each of the fire stations and in the fire administration office at City Hall.

Each cent donated in coins was a vote for that nominee to kiss the pig. Each cent donated in paper money was a vote against.

In the end, the votes for Warman totaled $298.30. The total raised for Relay for Life was $756.80.

Warman said he was surprised to win, but at least it was all for a good cause."I was proudto represent the department," he said.

[Last modified March 8, 2008, 22:04:13]