Rotary Pizza Challenge brings pies to people

PORT CLINTON – If you wanted a good slice of pizza pie on Tuesday night, you only had to go to the The Port Clinton Moose Lodge on West Lakeshore Drive to get your fill.

Nearly 500 people attended the Port Clinton Rotary Club’s fifth annual Rotary Pizza Challenge, an event that brought the area’s best pizza makers and people of all ages together for a good all-you-can-eat affair.

Celebrity judges determined best specialty pizza, high school students judged best pepperoni and each participant in the event used a red ticket to vote for their favorite pizza place.

The evening’s top prize, People’s Choice, and a year worth of bragging rights, went to Cameo’s/Crosswinds pizza, 280 Southeast Catawba Road.

“It feels good,” Cameo’s general manager Amber Nickel said of the win. “It’s helps to get all of these local businesses names out there.

“It’s all for a good cause and it’s good to see the community, the whole of Ottawa County come together for it.”

Six high school students chose Bell Mell’s, on the corner of Fulton and East Third Street, for the area’s Best Pepperoni, while Marco’s Pizza, at Jefferson and East Perry Street, won Best Specialty pie with their white cheesy pizza.

New to the scene this year was J & J’s Pizzeria, located in Star Lanes bowling alley on Buckeye Boulevard. Owner Cathy Lizzi said she was very impressed with the turnout and organization of the event.

“We know this is a small community, but coming from Sandusky I didn’t know what to expect. It was a lot busier than I thought it would be,” Lizzi said. “The people who ran it were excellent and so organized. I thought it was a great night.”

Duane Waite, Rotarian and chair of the Pizza Challenge, said after paying overhead expenses for the event, the proceeds would go to fund scholarships for Port Clinton and Danbury High School students.

“It’s important to us to do things involving youth and scholarships are just one way we can give back,” Waite said.

Waite also said the timing of the event is also important to the Rotary, as they wanted to help the community and help families have an inexpensive meal during the school and work week.

“We know this time of the year, local businesses tend to slow down since the tourists have left. It can hurt, so this is a chance for people to try a few different pizzas and have a good time,” he said.

“It brings so many people together, you see everyone here,” Rotarian Chris Galvin added of the event. “There’s not a bad pizza here. There are some very different choices, but it gives you something new. “

Participants in the event also included Pizza Hut, Bruno’s in Marblehead and Sloopy’s Sports Cafe in Lakeside, all of whom received a certificate of participation and thanks for participating.

jdenton@gannett.com

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Twitter: @jessicadentonNH

The Port Clinton Rotary Club meets at the 1812 Island House Restaurant on Tuesdays at noon.