2020 Battle for the Paddle Cancelled due to COVID-19
Save the Date for Next Year: Thursday, October 7, 2021
United Way of St. Charles announced the cancellation of the 2020 Battle for the Paddle at its August Board of Directors meeting.
“It’s unfortunate that we can’t have Battle for the Paddle this year, not only because it’s just plain fun but because it’s a big part of promoting our campaign,” said John Dias, Executive Director for United Way of St. Charles. “We worry that at a time where needs are up, our fundraising may be down.”
After carefully monitoring developments related to COVID-19 over the last several months, the Battle for the Paddle Committee & United Way Board of Directors unanimously voted to cancel this year’s event.
“For the safety and health of those in our community, the best decision for all is to cancel this year’s United Way Battle for the Paddle Cook-Off,” said Jerry Stumbo, United Way Board President and Valero St. Charles VP and General Manager. “Our community is strong, and we know the support for United Way is on-going.”
Battle for the Paddle, the world’s largest jambalaya and gumbo cook-off, is held annually on the first Thursday in October and serves as the official kick-off for the United Way of St. Charles fundraising campaign. Last year, over 150 teams participated in the cooking competition held at the Edward A. Dufresne Community Center in Luling. Over 8,000 attendees sampled unlimited tastings of jambalaya and gumbo while enjoying live music and supporting United Way of St. Charles.
“We reviewed the current CDC and Louisiana Department of Health guidelines, as well as the additional restrictions and requirements from the state, and there is no way for us to safely plan our event at this time,” stated Tamara Plattsmier, United Way of St. Charles Volunteer and Events Manager. “The health and safety of our community are very important to our organization.”
2020 marks the first time the event has been cancelled in its 19-year history. The date for the 2021 Battle for the Paddle is Thursday, October 7, 2021.
Funds raised at Battle for the Paddle are used to support United Way of St. Charles’ 32 Partner Agencies and 100+ programs throughout the year.
United Way of St. Charles is a non-profit organization working to create lasting changes in St. Charles Parish by funding local agencies and developing programs that target education, income and health.
For more information about United Way of St. Charles or its annual fundraising efforts, visit www.uwaysc.org or call 985-331-9063.