NAPLES, FL., -- December 12, 2011   With embers glowing, the Donahue Academy in Ave Maria, a kindergarten through 12^th grade private school, is gearing up for the 2nd Annual Sunshine State Steak Cook-Off and Family Festival on Saturday, January 28, 2012. In its inaugural year, January 2011, the event sold out and served over 400 steaks as eight area grill teams competed for the top prize of $1,000. This year, Chairman Tom Smith says, “We plan to sell between 800 and 1,000 steak dinner tickets, which include a 16oz. boneless rib eye, baked potato, salad, roll and drink for $15.”

For grill teams, the day begins at around 9:30 am and ends at the 6:30 pm awards ceremony. Steaks are entered in a double blind judging with celebrity and professional judges. Grill teams will be issued charcoal and steaks. Each team is required to have their own grill, meat thermometers, and coolers in addition to their special spice mixes, rubs and/or marinades. Teams pay $100 entry fee which includes exclusive grill team aprons and dinner tickets which vary on the number of steaks each team commits to grill. Prizes for the grill teams include Grand Champion Prize of $1000, 1st Runner-up prize of $500, 2nd Runner-up prize of $250, and the $100 Holy Smokes award to the team with the best hospitality, booth set-up and decorations.

Tickets are now on sale at the Ave Maria University Bookstore or can be purchased by phone by calling 239-304-7032.  The day-long celebration includes a Family Festival beginning at 11:00 am featuring youth games with a few new additions and the ever popular pitch burst, paintball, inflatable fun, dance performances, live music, and demonstrations by Collier County Sheriff’s Office including K-9 Unit, Bomb Squad and SWAT. 

The Town of Ave Maria has been designed as a hometown for the 21^st century, a place where residents of different generations and backgrounds can find all they need to live life to the fullest – schools, shopping, employment opportunities, recreational facilities, and more.  In addition, the presence of Ave Maria University offers educational and cultural experiences unlike any other in the area.  At its build out, it will include 11,000 residences in its 4,000 acres.  Ave Maria is located at the intersection of Oil Well and Camp Keais Roads in Eastern Collier County.  The main entrance, on Oil Well just west of Camp Keais, leads to the Town Center. 

For more information, please contact Tom Smith at 239-280-2536 or thomas.smith@avemaria.edu. More information can also be found at www.donahueacademy.org.