Smoking gun BBQ pit donated to Liberty County Sheriff’s Office

Pit Master Roger Edwards, Brookshire Brothers Mike Noble & Brian Asaro, Capt. Robert Dunn, Investigator Steven Rasberry, Crystal Guillory, Danny Navarrete, Jr. Pit Master Essencess Arceneaux, Chief Don Neyland, Sheriff Bobby Rader and Big Franks pit donor, Melissa Leal.

Historians tell us that either Napoleon Bonaparte in 1812, or even earlier, Fredrick The Great, coined the phrase, “ An army marches on its stomach.” Those same historians are also quick to tell us that probably neither man actually muttered that historic phrase, at least not in those specific words. Rather, it is a combination of their various other statements all rolled into one neat and inspirational passage that has endured through all these years. Regardless of the origin of those words, it is probably just as appropriate today. Any group or organization that strives to accomplish a specific goal or mission must have well-provisioned troops. The difference may mean success or failure.

Perhaps, that was the idea behind a donation from two local City of Liberty merchants. On Thursday afternoon, Melissa Leal of Big Franks Bar-B-Q in Liberty donated their treasured “Texan Smoking Gun” barbecue pit and a small freezer to Sheriff Bobby Rader and his personnel at the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. Then to complement the barbecue, Mike Noble and Brian Asaro with Brookshire Brothers Grocery in Liberty provided 30 pounds of sausage to go into that freezer and later to the pit.

Sheriff Rader was hard-pressed to express his tremendous gratitude to these merchants for their most gracious gifts that will be pressed into service when his LCSO personnel are on around-the-clock duty during hurricanes, extended flooding conditions or having to remain on duty at the Sheriff’s Office eating cold sandwiches and candy bars while sleeping in chairs and on the office floors.

Having a hot meal straight off the barbecue pit will be a very welcome change of pace to what the deputies and civilian personnel have been use to in past emergencies.

“We ‘re excited about giving the smoking gun barbecue pit to the hard working men and women of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office,” Leal said.

In addition, Slovacek Sausage Company will be donating sausage for the pit for the next year.  

Sheriff Rader went on to say he deeply appreciates the community support from these local merchants and the sincere concern they have shown for the Sheriff’s personnel because now when the next emergency hits our community, as in years past, all law enforcement agencies, fire departments and all first responders are more than welcome to drop by the Sheriff’s Office and partake of a hot meal.