From Columbian.com:
Berry, berry messy: Rob Heckman of Portland, right, won Saturday’s pie-eating contest at the Harvest Fun Day, put on by the Clark County Historical Museum. Mormon missionary Tim McLerran, left, was hungry, so he joined the contest. (John Klicker/for The Columbian)
Meet some of the contestants:
Hunter Larson, 8. Red-headed, chubby-cheeked, likes to eat food, according to his dad. Has been talking about Saturday’s pie-eating contest for a week, ever since Marshall Elementary sent home a flier.
Carol and Albert Hines, married couple. Have done this before, the whole eat-till-you-just-about-puke thing, not quite sure why they’re doing it again.
Tim McLerran, 20, Mormon missionary from Virginia. Hungry from riding his bike around town and thought a pie might fill him up. Red-headed, like Hunter, name badge reads, “Elder McLerran.”
Rob Heckman, husband of a promotion person for KEX Radio, which is a sponsor for the pie-eating contest at Saturday’s Harvest Fun Day, which is put on by Clark County Historical Museum and takes place in the gravel parking lot across the street. He is also red-headed(!).
Master of ceremonies Pepper Kim, teacher at Legacy High School. Kind eyes, metallic fingernail polish. Walks with a staff topped with a cat head and offers this advice: “If you take the tin with your teeth and turn it over, it will be easier for you.”
So that’s what Heckman does, the ultimate winner of the adult pie-eating contest. He strides into the parking lot with the look of a contender, chest puffed out, and he attacks the pie with the energy of a pit bull, lunging forward, lapping up every last bit.
Next to him, McLerran doesn’t end up with a spot of apple pie on his white pressed shirt and tie.
McLerran isn’t concerned about winning, though: “I was riding around on my bike and someone said, ‘Hey, you want to enter a pie-eating contest?’ I’m a big food person, but I prefer healthy food. But a little pie-eating contest won’t hurt.”
At the end of the contest, Heckman turns to McLerran: “You want me to finish yours?”