Sven Alskog
News Editor
The 33rd annual Cooperative Wilderness Handicapped Outdoor Group (CW HOG) Pig Out will be coming to southeast Idaho on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 4 to 10 p.m at Lower Ross Park Pavilion.
The event features live music, activities for individuals of all ages and a dinner including pork loin chops, Idaho baked potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, salad, a vegetarian Dutch oven dish and beverages.
Starting at 4 p.m., dinner will be served and live music from the Sherman Brothers and the Maw Band will take place until 10 p.m.
Both bands will bring a local flavor to the Pig Out while kids can also enjoy a bouncy house during their time at the event.
One of the main missions of the CW HOG is to provide recreational activities for people of all abilities and ages.
Along with that, the program stresses accepting and valuing people who have disabilities, something that is made possible by the financial support gained from the Pig Out and events like it.
“This is our number one fundraiser,” said CW HOG Outdoor Recreation Coordinator Bob Ellis.
“A big thing about that is it is made possible by Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls. As a result of our partnership with them, all the proceeds we make go directly to the CW HOG program,” he added.
The event brings out a strong showing of people each year.
“We make food for about 700,” said Ellis. “Last year we almost ran out of food.”
Ellis is a Pocatello native who has held his position in the CW HOG program for the past ten years.
There are multiple areas for him to oversee within the program and for students at ISU and individuals within the community alike to take advantage of.
“We have a giant swing at our Alpine Tower Challenge Course which is one of the big things we do along with whitewater rafting and adaptive snow skiing,” said Ellis.
“The challenge facility was acquired through a grant from the department of education my very first year that I got this job. It has been a nice evolution which the community has started to embrace,” he continued.
Faculty of ISU, namely within the sport science and physical education programs, have found that by taking their classes to the facility there are many resulting benefits.
“It is a good time to bring a class out at the beginning of a semester,” said Ellis. “There is an old Plato quote that I believe goes something like, ‘you learn more in an hour of play than you do in a day of conversation.’”
Tickets for the CW Hog Pig Out are on sale in advance until Friday, Sept. 12 and can be purchased at the Outdoor Adventure Center, Ace Hardware and Element Outfitters, Sandbaggers and Barries Sports.
For individuals 12 and older the cost of the Pig Out is $10 in advance and $12 at the park.Kids ages 6-11 are $5 in advance and $7 at the park. Ages 0-5 get in free.
