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Believers gathered Saturday night at the Little Bar Restaurant in Goodland in hopes of keeping Marco Island and Goodland safe from destructive hurricanes.

The party had its start in August 1992. Shortly after Hurricane Andrew blew through South Florida (Aug. 24 1992) Little Bar owners, Ray Bozicnik and Nicolette Baure, started to think that every culture has its own mythological beings they pay homage too.

Bozicnik and Baure decided they needed to come up with a great party to try to please the Atlantic Basin Hurricane Goddesses. It was decided that the party would be centered around SPAM and pajamas. After all, most hurricanes tend to arrive in the middle of the night, leaving victims to eat SPAM in their pajamas.

It was decided that the party would celebrate this activity. The party became known as the Spammy Jammy. It has been celebrated in Marco Island ever since with great success.

Jennie Peters, general manager of the Little Bar Restaurant, believes that attendees are able to throw one righteous party that the Atlantic Basin Hurricane Goddesses will be appeased with and spare Marco Island and Goodland from any significant damage.

But what about Hurricane Wilma in 2005? As Peters said, “Although Wilma came our way, we were very fortunate and suffered little damage. Perhaps the Goddesses have a taste for hand-made Spamaroli with chipotle dipping sauce.”

Judging from Saturday night, the Goddesses should be very pleased. The attendees had a great time.

Pam Mull said, “This is the most wonderful time every year. I am having so much fun! How can you not come?”

Mull continued “Goodland is a wonderful place!”

Bette Chew agreed with Mulls sentiment saying, “I love it. It is like Christmas time in June.” Chew even had her friends Karen Rodriguez and Bill Vento fly in from Boston for the event.

Nick Millo and Chad Byrer from Naples were fishing on their boat and came to the Little Bar Restaurant to get out of the rain. They had no idea that there was a party going on. They had a great time, and were in no hurry to get back home. They had a great meal at the Little Bar Restaurant and were in the process of sampling the SPAM entries and mingling with the Little Bar crowd.

The 2008 Spammy Jammy consisted of many events. There was a large display in the parking lot: Hughes Wind Shields’s. The display incorporated their hurricane glass and they were offering $100 to anyone who could break it. No one even came close to doing so although a baseball bat did not survive the night.

There were also toilet paper races to keep the crowd entertained and they were certainly a crowd’s favorite.

As they entered the restaurant, attendees were greeted to the unmistakable vocals of local talent Merrill Allen. With Allen’s vocals in the background, the back room was where the competition took place. There was a food division that consisted of items made from SPAM. The entries included Goodland resident Pam Mull’s SPAM hash, Diana Decko’s SOS (SPAM on a Shingle), Little Bar Restaurant owner Ray Bozicnik’s SPAM fondue fountain, Barbara Hall’s spumoni cheese ball, Bette Chew’s spamios, and Brian Schlager’s spamacos just to name a few.

There was also an artist division consisting of new and exciting ways to use SPAM in the entries. One entry by Alison Bone, Katie Stricker and Natalie Storm was made to look like the stage area of the Little Bar Restaurant. This entry known as Trippple Spppam recreated popular Little Bar Restaurant performer Ryan Darling and his band Triple Shot. The entry actually played the song Strokin’ which Darling had recorded the night before. Darling chose Strokin’ because it is Little Bar Restaurant hostess Maureen Silliman’s favorite song. Sue and Tony Sparkes from Key Largo entered Sockeye Spamon, Tara O’Neill entered Spam Beach, Spam-A-Clause entered Frosty the Spam Man, Lisa Bauman entered Grand Coolee Cup Spam Dam and Goodland Spamming Salon, and “The Girls” entered Kiss (Keep It Simple Stupid).

Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club and Spa concierges Larry Purvis, Peggy Koelle and Tonia Dwyer were the judges for the competition.

After Merrill finished his set the overflowing Little Bar Restaurant crowd was treated to the high energy sounds of the Raiford Starke Band. The Raiford Starke Band keep the Little Bar Restaurant crowd entertained until the early morning hours.

The winners were as follows:

FOOD DIVISION

1st Spamoni Cheese Ball by Barbara Hall

2nd Spamios by Bette Chew

3rd Spamacos by Brian Schlager

ART DIVISION

1st Trippple Spppam and the Maureen Hour by Natalie Strom, Ali Bowe and Katie Stricker

2nd Spam Beach by Tara O’Neill

3rd Sockeye Spamon by Sue and Tony Sparkes

ARCHITECTURE DIVISON

C.U.B.S. Could U Beat Spam Batting Cage by Margi Fortune and Jimmy Ketchem

PROFESSIONAL DIVISION, Honorable Mention Only

Spam Fondue by Ray Bozicnik