Local celebrities take pies to the face for charity

ZANESVILLE – Local luminaries gathered outside the county courthouse on Thursday to take pies to the face.

Operation Feed organized the annual event as a means to raise money to feed the hungry of Muskingum County. Hosted by Christ's Table, the fundraiser sold tickets for a chance to be among the lucky pie-wielding few. And although the pies were not necessarily real pies but whipped cream, the pie substitutes were messy enough to get the job done.

Keely Warden, director of Christ's Table which helps feed those in need, said the event holds importance for her after she saw firsthand the prevalence of hunger in Muskingum County.

"Being at Christ's Table has really opened my eyes to the necessity for this kind of event," she said. "And when you have the means to do something about it, to do something good, you must."

Warden herself was lucky enough to have a pie smashed in her face, and she offered some advice for her group of peers that included Zanesville Mayor Jeff Tilton and James McDonald of McDonald's Greenhouse.

"Try your best not to inhale or laugh," Warden said, "because the milk will get stuck up your nose and go sour real fast. It's a lot like having sour cream in your nostrils."

Considering the messiness of the event, most of the local celebrities were dressed in surprisingly formal attire. But luckily, ponchos made out of trash bags were provided to keep their work clothes clean and pie-free. Their faces and heads, however, were fair game, and many of the pie-smashers had a preference for smearing the whipped cream all over their victim's cheeks, heads and necks.

"We're just so thankful to the community for coming out like they have," said Operation Feed Chairwoman June Smith. "This is our fourth year hosting the event, and I still love to see them all get pied."

Smith said the event had raised $2,046, all of which will go toward feeding the hungry of Muskingum County.

epsmith@gannett.com

740-450-6772

Twitter: @evansmithreport