By SABRINA GARRETT

The Wilson Post

What started as a group of friends hosting a small fall party is cooking up a cure for cancer in a very big way.

The 10th annual Low Country Boil raised $27,100 for Sherry’s Run and the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition during the event this past Saturday. Event founder Ed Riley of Two Fat Men Catering and Mo’Cara said that the Low Country Boil began as a way to celebrate the completion of building his home, with wife, Linda, inLebanon.

“The next year, he found out his niece, who was 28, had breast cancer,” friend Bob Black added. The group of friends decided to be proactive in the fight against the disease and expand the event by selling tickets and donating proceeds to the Breast Cancer Coalition.

 “Then we heard another friend, Robert Harris, was diagnosed with colon cancer and our friend (the late) Johnny Keel did, too – so we added Sherry’s Run,” Black said. Black said that in the past 10 years, the event has grown tremendously in size and raised more than $275,000 for both organizations.

“We would invite friends and then they would tell their friends. More and more people would show up,” he said of the growth. “We are very proud of this event – but it is not about us. It is about what we can do to help others.”

For Saturday night’s soiree, Riley created a buffet of corn casserole, red beans, dirty rice, Cajun smoked chicken sausage and grilled chicken. For dessert, guests enjoyed dipping marshmallow treats into a warm chocolate sauce. Riley said that they began cooking one day prior to the Low Country Boil.

“We are so busy catering. We usually have about 15 events to cater through the week, but everybody enjoys the Low County Boil,” he said.

One hundred percent of ticket and auction proceeds go to the charities.

Staff Writer Sabrina Garrett can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .