Published: July 18, 2008 08:50 pm      

City, county compete in celebrity shopping spree

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — It was a competition between the city and the county, represented by Mt. Vernon Mayor Mary Jane Chesley and by Jefferson County Board Chairman Ted Buck.

The two were competing in the Soy Celebrity Shopping Spree, held at Borowiak IGA and sponsored by the Jefferson County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee. Their mission was to take 10 minutes to fill a shopping cart with items that contain soy product. The groceries were then donated to Angel’s Cove Maternity Center in Mt. Vernon.

“This has become a tradition here,” Mark Damron of Borowiak’s IGA said. “It’s all good natured and it makes consumers aware of how much soy beans are used every day and with a variety of products. And, this helps our community.”

According to Paul Schuette of the local Farm Bureau office, the women’s committee hosts the event annually to raise awareness of the widespread use of soy products and as a fundraising event for Angel’s Cove, which is part of the Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services.

“The ladies there really appreciate it, and it helps a good cause for Angel’s Cove,” Joyce Dunbar of the Jefferson County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee stated. “We need to make sure they have healthy babies.”

Chesley and Buck were given 10 minutes to fill their shopping carts with only products whose labels state that the product contains soy. Pork, beef, turkey, chicken and farm-raised fish were also eligible because of the soybean meal they eat. Only one item was allowed of each type of meat or one containing soy.

The two were allowed to look at a list of soy products prior to the shopping spree, but could not use the list during their shopping time.

As the two shopped, they good-naturedly joked and vied for position in some of the aisles. Once the 10 minutes were completed, the two met at the front of the store while Schuette and Dunbar inspected their carts for rejects.

Chesley had two items rejected — she had put two cartons of sour cream in her cart so one was ineligible, and the second item was a carton of non-dairy whipped topping. Chesley fought and proved her point on another item, Twizzler’s candy, which contains soy lethicin.

“I know because I checked last night at home,” Chesley said.

Buck also had two items rejected — pork steaks because he had already chosen ham, and a bottle of barbecue sauce.

“My wife told me there was soy in that,” Buck claimed.

Although the two came out with a tie on the number of items rejected, Chesley came out ahead in the value of the food she chose at $240.79 compared to Buck’s $192.70

“Women normally spend more than men,” Buck joked.

So, who came out the winner in the competition?

“The real winner is Angel’s Cove,” Schuette declared.