Citizens of the Year in Picture Butte

There’s nothing like the smell of a good old fashioned barbecue to get the mouth watering in anticipation to devour a sizzling steak, a pig roast, or grilled hamburgers and hot dogs to perfection.

In Picture Butte, there’s four kings of the barbecue being recognized collectively, as this year’s Picture Butte and District Chamber of Commerce “Citizen of the Year.”

‘Butte’s Barbecue Boys are  — Craig “Pugsy” Sosick, Jim “Lipsy” Vance, Grant “Guido” Gilles and Calvin “Squabie” Sosick. Four men with a volunteer determination to provide the best in grilled meats with a smile for those with a full belly that eat at each and every function — when the boys are flipping at the grill.

“The four of us, we just do it as fun, but my dad actually built a big barbecue years ago and we revamped it over the years,” said Pugsy, adding years ago the boys helped out for a fundraiser at the town’s sportsplex and annually the four barbecue-teers help raise funds at the Prairie Tractor Club with a pig roast but that’s just for starters.

“This barbecue is set up so you can do pigs or any kind of meat. We just volunteer on doing all kinds of cooking,” he added.

According to Pugsy, the barbecue boys offer a specialty — either a pig roast or prime rib with a secret potato recipe thrown in as a side.

Pugsy noted years ago, after his dad built the barbecue used for outings, the men were asked to cook up a meal and the rest is as succulent as a pig on a spit.

“Everybody fell in love with it. We’ve done lots of weddings and we’ve done quite a bit of stuff since then. We could probably do more. When it comes to community — we love doing it and it is usually fun and everybody is appreciative of it and it makes a good day out of it,” said Pugsy, who has called Picture Butte home for the past 44 years.

Pugsy said it was exciting to hear the Barbecue Boys were honoured with the “Citizen of the Year” title and it was greatly appreciated.

“My biggest thing is when I see people enjoy it. If we can make people happy — that’s what thrills the four of us. We always seem to have fun out doing it and if people enjoy it and we’re appreciated for it — that’s why we keep doing it,” he said.

Jim Vance or Lipsy — legend has it, started the whole Barbecue Boys in the first place and he said it’s plain and simple why the four men barbecue to help others.

“We enjoy it.”

Historically, Lipsy worked at a local business and the business had a barbecue.

“We started doing customer stuff. It’s probably been going on for 20 years,” said Lipsy, noting then the boys obtained Bill Sosick’s old barbecue and revamped it.

According to Lipsy, the boys said what the hell.

“We aren’t doing anything anyways,” he joked.

Being awarded “Citizen of the Year” in Picture Butte for doing what the four men do best is a good thing, Lipsy explained. “We’re good at it, so why not.”

Squabie, Lipsy’s partner in charbroiled crime, agreed. “If you don’t enjoy doing it, why do it?” added Squabie.

Squabie said he used to do pig roasts with his dad and brother and then the other two Barbecue Boys joined forces for the ultimate pig roasting foursome.

At first, after Squabie’s brother called to tell him the news of winning the coveted “Citizen of the Year” Award, he thought it was a joke. “We never expected anything like that. It’s something to be nominated for that and nothing we ever expected — that’s for darn sure,” noted Squabie.

Lastly, Squabie said it’s something the four barbecue enthusiasts enjoy doing.

“It’s fun to do.”

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