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4th Annual Leo's Restaurant Hot Dog Eating Contest

4TH ANNUAL LEO’S RESTAURANT HOT DOG EATING CONTEST TO BE HELD THIS COMING SUNDAY, AUGUST 12 AT 4:00 PM To Benefit Special Olympics Connecticut

Leo’s Restaurant in Southbury will host its increasingly- popular 4th Annual Leo’s Restaurant Hot Dog Eating Contest at 4:00 PM on the lawn of the restaurant at 7 Poverty Road in Southbury on Sunday, August 12 to benefit Special Olympics Connecticut. During the past three years, this high-speed annual event has raised over $5,500.

Bob Moniz, owner of Leo’s Restaurant, which has been in Southbury for the past 19 years, commented, “This is a fast, fun way to raise money each year for a good cause. Participants and observers alike have a lot of laughs, and enjoy a good time. The winner goes away happy, as do all the contest participants and onlookers as well.”

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The August 12 festivities will include a competition of contestants who must fully eat as many hot dogs as possible in seven (7) minutes; a pet dogs’ contest featuring the fastest consumption of 15 hot dogs; plus DJ entertainment donated by Ryan Colt of Audio Xplosion Entertainment in Southbury. Colt, a resident of Southbury, has donated his entertainment equipment and personal time to this event for the past three years, even risking damage to his audio equipment during a downpour during one of the fundraisers.


Pet Aesthetics, a pet grooming salon and gift and natural foods supplies boutique located at 134 Main Street South, Suite 32C in the plaza behind Leo’s restaurant, will donate pints of Answers Goat Milk and goodie bags for every canine participant. “Mac”, a Mastiff dog owned by Susan  egasse-Marucci, owner of Pet Aesthetics, will once again be among the favorite canine competitors in 2012. “Mac has competed for the past three years, consistently raising the highest amount of monies for donation each year”, stated Begasse-Marucci. “Mac” and the Pet Aesthetics Team raised $1,185 in 2011 alone for the Special Olympics Connecticut.

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Contest host Moniz stated, “All the hot dogs, buns, water, etc. for this annual event are being donated by Leo’s generous distributors. As they have done for the past four years, our staff will once again volunteer their time to this noteworthy fundraising event.” The contest winner will receive a $25 gift card donated by Leo’s Restaurant, and additional donations garnered to date will come from Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks and Yankee Candle all in Southbury.

In 2011, Fred Colgan, who participated in the speedy competition under the name “Sugafree”, took the trophy home for the first time after eating 10 hot dogs. John Artes, a previous first place winner, ate 14 hot dogs in seven minutes and then another 3 in 10 minutes to break  a tie to become the second place winner after eating 9 hot dogs. As in the previous two years, some competitors in 2011 who displayed ‘visible signs of sickness’ were immediately disqualified.


To participate in the hot dog eating competitions for both individuals and pet dogs, entrant contestants must fill out an application and waiver, submit a $10 application fee, and raise a minimum of $25 in donations from sponsors, family members and friends for Special Olympics Connecticut. To learn more, visit www.soct.org, or call Sharon Pelkey of Special Olympics Connecticut at 203-267-6566x708 or email her at Sharp@soct.org.

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