Glenna Callender planted a tender kiss on the hairy snout of “Tilly the Tiller” during Saturday’s Charleston Gateway to the Delta Festival.
A retired city schoolteacher and former longtime executive director of the Charleston Arts and Revitalization Effort (CARE), Callender earned the honor of kissing the pig as the winner of the festival’s “Smoochin’ Scissors” contest.
The object of Callender’s affection, Tilly, an 8-week-old potbellied pig owned by Laura and Jeremey Woods of Tippo, seemed oblivious.
CARE Executive Director Dana Clolinger announced the results of the lighthearted contest on the Gateway stage Saturday afternoon.
Callender had more money donated in her name through the second annual contest, a fundraiser for CARE, than did her two volunteer challengers for the pig-puckering opportunity — Angie Davis and Alisha Pittman.
Glenna Callender kisses "Tilly the Tiller" as owner Laura Woods holds the potbellied pig. (Photo by Krista McFerrin)
Callender received a special pottery pig memento.
Collection jars for the three ladies were placed in The Sun-Sentinel office and in the Charleston Arts Center in the weeks leading up to the festival. The public was invited to place money into the jar of the person they wanted to see kiss the pig. Online cash app donations also were accepted.
The contest raised $2,512 for CARE and its many educational and artistic programs for the community.
All three ladies openly campaigned for the title, with Callender even donning a pig costume and going door-to-door seeking contributions for the worthy cause.
Their spirit was in sharp contrast to last year’s inaugural contest, when three male contestants — Danny Adams, John Ball Burnett and David Groner — openly promoted each other for the title, even resorting to alleged shenanigans. Groner eventually won.
Scissors, the pride of Pine Crest Farm near Charleston, is pictured.
The "Smoochin' Scissors" contest was named to honor Scissors, the pride of Pine Crest Farm near Charleston, who was a two-time (1917 and 1918) “Grand Champion Duroc-Jersey Boar” at the National Swine Show in Omaha, Nebraska. The show was huge back in the day, boasting exhibits of pigs and hogs from all over the United States and Canada.
Scissors still remains somewhat of a local celebrity. His small private house is maintained by CARE, and the nonprofit has often borrowed upon his fame to promote fundraising events and special programs, thus helping to keep his memory alive.
