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Life on the Summit: Hey, Spike! knows where to find best BBQ

Miles F. Porter IV
Special to the Daily

Wowsers” best describes the effort and outpouring of carnivorous humanity at the annual Colorado BBQ Challenge in Frisco.

“We think this is likely the biggest and best ever in 21 years,” says Rick Amico, who heads up the civilian effort with wife Judi and Frisco Councilman Tom Connolly. “There was tremendous support from the Frisco community — just fantastic.”

Town manager Bill Efting pointed out the effort of staffers Vanessa Agee, Chad Most, Nora Gilbertson, Nikki Moore, Linsey Kach, Howard Freeman, and Frisco Police Chief Tom Wickman’s officers “and the over 300 Frisco volunteers — this event is a true community effort.”



So, who did Spike! see among the masses?

Keith Bilisoly and Melanie Frye; Wayne, Gregory, Jeffrey and Cindy Spaulding; Sandy Sheffield, Caitlin Bushnell (Danny Pins’ niece), Frisco Mayor Gary Wilkinson, Luis Flores, Larry and Carole Feldman and son Zack and grandson Benjamin; Sandy and EJ Olbright, Lindy and Phil Wilson, Polly Schwan, Suzy and Marv Spyker, Bill and Carole Efting, Erie bicyclists Brian Collins and son Logan; Jon Obel, Bob Utchel, Heidi Maike, Mark Schneider, Sarah Dominguez, Brenda Culhane, The Petersons: Donna, Jane and Lyn and Dave Philips; Jana Novak, Alston Novak, Mark and Colleen Richmond, Keith and Sue Feldmann, Larry Sawyer, Eddie and Patti Bowers, Lance Foster and Dr. Cristina Catigno and daughter Sienna; Bob, Becky and Kelly Foote; longboarder Tim “Slim” DeCamp, Tim Boulay and daughter Brigitte; Ray and Dorothy Diekman, Dan Reisdorph, Sue Downen, Darby Piens, Mollie and Brad Thompson, Paul Connelly, Kim and Jim Cancelosi, Bill Pessemier and Stephanie DeHart, Kathleen Kennedy, Paul Austin and Cindy Beer, Holly Erlichman, Sarah Lavicka, Michelle Pietras, Ellen Christman, Dale and Bridget Menke, Jon Kreamelmeyer, Charlie McKaig, Kellie Faber, Alex and Jen Miller, Brian Wilson, Brittany Taylor, Jackie Crandall and her Blue River Band; Greco’s Jonny Greco with chefs Erik Carpenter and Gavin Lewis; Chuck and Wendy Boyd and daughter Sara; Jersey Boy Johnny, Tom Prentiss, Amy Krause, Tom “You didn’t see me” Neils, Matt Lit, Lisa DiMichele, BJ McCarthy, Jimbo Deines and Linda Simon, Steve and Sandee Smith, Summit High School culinary arts teacher Erica Ewald, Val and Dano Piper, Paul Axe, Chris Miller, Kurt Kiser, Kari Davis and son Gavin; Terri Golden, Celsea Wurster, Rob Philippe and daughter Talya; Stephanie and Bobby Kato, Jeff “Ogie” Ogren, The Sandberg family: Matt and Shannon and daughters Madison and Sarah; Bob Kessler, Mark Fox, Lori and Gary Guay, Don Johnson, Andy Blumenthal, Carole Scott and mother Vicki Herrell; Chris Martell and Jerome Carter, Deb Hage (she and Paul just celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary), Cheryl Parkinson, Clayton Miller, Jay and Brenda Herman, Earl and Susan Picard, Tom Rosignolo, Todd Powell, Kim McDonald, Flip Rys, Bill and Julieanne Gilchrist, Danny Moroz, Alice and Andy Hayes, Lauren Stott, Danielle Obermaier, Bob Larrabee Jr. and son Trip (the III) in their neat little train; Rob and Laurie Huggins (Laurie’s 40th birthday was recently marked in Costa Rica), Darren Nakos, Dick Clark, Karen Merjano Woodrow and Mickey Miller (now newlyweds), and Helena Kinton, Laura and Larry Lewark, Cristi Eckert, Angie Maglicic, Paul Schiff, and the Krieger-Van Gundy families.



The photo accompanying this vast list of names shows the crew of Golden Toad BBQ from Littleton, headed by Todd “Toad” Jilbert.

Left to right are Cliff Loughrey, “Toad” Jilbert, Michael Stahl, Chris Johnson and Brad Bellmer.

Golden Toad donates a portion of its proceeds to the Children’s Hospital, the Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation, the Denver Zoo and several military charities.

Miles F. Porter IV, nicknamed “Spike,” a Coloradan since 1949, is an Army veteran, former Climax miner, graduate of Adams State College, and a local since 1982. An award-winning investigative reporter, he and wife Mary E. Staby owned newspapers here for 20 years. Email your social info to milesfporteriv@aol.com


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