Asheville – If you enjoy barbecue—and who doesn’t?—this coming weekend presents an opportunity for fun, food, and family-friendly activities to support a good cause. The 4th Annual ‘Cue for a Cause amateur BBQ Competition will take place this Saturday, September 21, at The Barn at Paint Fork. ‘Cue for a Cause is an annual fundraiser organized by The Plyler Team at Lusso Realty to raise money for a local non-profit organization. This year’s event will support The Asheville Police Foundation (APF).
The APF is a newly formed non-profit organization run by a volunteer Board of Directors, separate from the City of Asheville and the Asheville Police Department (APD). It is dedicated to gathering community support and resources to enhance the effectiveness of the Asheville Police Department. The organization’s mission involves assisting western North Carolina law enforcement agencies and officers with items or expenses that may not be covered in normal budgets.
The Plyler Team at Lusso Realty aims to help the APF get off to a strong start. David Plyler, who spent nearly 20 years working in the public sector in both Emergency Services and Law Enforcement, stated, “Many people, especially given the turmoil of the last few years, have asked how they can support the men and women in our local law enforcement. Here is what you can do: support our local law enforcement officers and agencies. Their major initial fundraiser has coincided with the 4th Annual ‘Cue for a Cause BBQ Competition. We already have several amateur teams entered, numerous generous sponsors signed up, and tickets sold.”
Although the APF operates independently from the APD, it aligns with new APD Chief Mike Lamb’s community outreach efforts aimed at building trust between law enforcement and Asheville residents. Chief Lamb, an Asheville native, began his career with the Asheville Police Department on February 16, 1998, and has served as an officer for 28 years.
Chief Lamb rose through the ranks from patrolman to captain, overseeing the Community Engagement Division, which reflects his leadership style of engaging with the local community as often as possible. As a lieutenant, he served as the Patrol Division Executive Officer and commanded the Adam and Charlie Districts. Before his promotion to lieutenant, he was a sergeant overseeing the Public Housing Unit, APD’s Gang Unit, and the downtown district. Throughout his career, he has held various positions and roles, including Basic Law Enforcement training, physical training, and de-escalation instructor. Additionally, he was a member of APD’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) for 20 years, serving as team commander for nine of those years.
One of Lamb’s newest initiatives is the APD Pod Squad podcast, hosted by Public Information Officer Rick Rice. The podcast will feature officer profiles, cold cases, a community outreach calendar, “Ask The Chief” segments with Chief Mike Lamb, and more. The first episode is now available online.
Tickets include a BBQ dinner catered by High Ridge Adventures Outfitting Camp & BBQ, a live bluegrass band, family-friendly games and activities, door prizes to be raffled, a 50/50 raffle, and a blind-judged competition with categories in pork (pulled or chopped), wings, brisket, ribs, chicken, and best side. Admission tickets are priced at $25.
While entries have closed, the event is open to the public with advance tickets available at https://www.ashevillepolicefoundation.org/cue-for-a-cause.