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Controversial pig used to raise money for Stafford school.
Politician and businessman use controversial pig to raise money for Stafford County school.
By JODI BIZAR
Date published: 4/13/2005
HERE ARE politicians out there who wouldn't want to remind the public about a controversy.
Kandy Hilliard, who represents the Aquia area, is not one of them.
Hilliard and Frank Sopko, owner of Virginia Barbeque Co. in Stafford, decided to use the sign ordinance-pig controversy to draw in customers Saturday to help raise money for the public schools.
"I thought about it," Hilliard said, "and decided to put the controversy to good use by helping promote money for the schools."
So Hilliard approached Sopko with the idea, and the two hatched plans to play up the pig controversy to help area public schools.
Hilliard, Sopko and others have been sparring in the media about the county's sign ordinance. Sopko had wanted to place his black and white pig on top of his building on U.S. 1 months ago. He maintains that he should be allowed to do so. Hilliard says the pig placed on top of the building would run afoul of the law.
This spawned passionate debate among many a Stafford resident and business owner.
So the unnamed pig, roughly 4 feet by 4 feet, has been traveling around the area, wearing a tutu, workout uniforms, and basically spending time at other businesses, sometimes as a form of protest and sometimes just for fun.
On Saturday, the pig was returned to Virginia Barbeque by Paul Milde, who pledges to defeat Hilliard in the next election and, if elected, ensure a variance is granted for the pig to sit atop the eatery.
Dozens of kids and their parents showed up Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. for a pig-naming contest.
Ten percent of the sales from food on that day will be provided to a class at Stafford Elementary.
Restaurant officials say roughly $300 was raised and another $200 will be provided by Hilliard and Sopko.
The money will go to the Adopt- A-Classroom program, which allows residents to donate funds to classrooms for supplies.
Emma Harris, 11, who was enjoying a meal at Saturday's fund-raiser, says she's a big fan of the pig, who was standing innocently outside the restaurant.
"I saw it and I've been telling Mom to put it in our yard," she said.
Emma and numerous other youngsters helped name the pig by putting their suggestions on paper. Emma wanted the pig to be named Pork Chop.
David Forrest, 9, was a bit more concerned with the pig's un-known gender, so he came up with two names--Pig E. Droffats if the pig was a boy or Paula M. Pig if the pig was a she.
But when the drawing went down, the name pulled out was Barbie Q Queen.
Restaurant employees say they don't know how long the now-named pig will stick around, but at least she has a name.
More importantly, says Hilliard, the school got some money. "That's what we were hoping," she said.
For details on the Adopt-a-Classroom program, visit adopta classroom.com.
To reach JODI BIZAR: 374-5000, ext. 5627 jbizar@freelancestar.com
Read more stories about Stafford
Date published: 4/13/2005
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