by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
There were subplots aplenty in this year’s “Kiss the Pig for Literacy Campaign” to benefit Learn to Read. First, Learn to Read Executive Director Heather Corey changed the rules a bit for the 14th annual campaign. This year, the winner of the event got to choose who kissed the pig. In years past, the person who raised the least had to pucker up.
Also, this year’s list of eight candidates included longtime friends and attorneys Moses Meide Jr. and Howard Coker. The campaign started Feb. 22 and for most of the fundraising period Meide had a comfortable lead on the other seven candidates. There was even talk that Meide had enough backing to make sure he won and submitted the most money at Friday’s noon deadline.
Late Friday morning, Meide presented Corey with more donations, raising his total to $18,293 — sure enough, he thought, to win. About 11:30 a.m., Coker — who had apparently been sandbagging — handed Corey a check for about $17,000 and then wrote a personal check to bring his total to an even $20,000.
Ball game. And it was before the Jacksonville Suns game Sunday that Coker added one more twist to this year’s near record-breaking event. In front of everyone, Coker gave “Arnold” a big kiss, allowing Meide to get off the hook.
“Those that know me know I like to win,” said Coker, a partner at Coker, Schickel, Sorenson & Daniel. “I am glad that happened in this case because the real winners are those members of the community who will get the benefit of the life-changing services that Learn to Read provides. That even makes kissing a pig named Arnold worth it.”
The real winner was Learn to Read. This year’s $68,000-plus is the second-highest total ever.
“The highest was over $72,000 in 2001,” said Corey. “Steve Ramsey of CSX held a golf tournament and raised $60,000 himself.”
Fourteen years ago, the Kiss the Pig campaign generated $13,000. Corey does envision the year the campaign cracks the $100,000 mark.
“The move to spring helped us build momentum,“ she said. “We moved it away from the fall and the other major campaigns. This year was great. We have to reach $100,000 one day. I am determined.”
The results of the other six contestants are as follows:
• Greg Perrine, JEA — $9,358
• John Cooper, St. Vincent’s Medical Center — $8,434
• Scott Houser, W.W. Gay — $4,960
• David Lane, CNL Bank — $3,996
• Dr. Edythe Abdullah, Florida Community College at Jacksonville — $2,540
• Dan Scanlan, Florida Times-Union — $925.20
• Anonymous donations — $130
• Grand Total — $68,636.20