Crow Wing County DWI Court Hosts Pig Roast

The Crow Wing County DWI Court hosted their 10th annual pig roast today on the lawn of the Judicial Center. People were lined up down the sidewalk to receive a hog roast lunch.

“It’s been awesome today. We’ve got a beautiful day. We’ve got a great food product that we put out and as I’ve always said, if you feed them, they will come,” said Crow Wing County DWI Court Coordinator Jill McKenzie.

For just $6, you received a pulled pork sandwich, chips, potato salad or coleslaw, and a cookie.

The pig roast has been hugely successful. They exceeded their goal of number of people served halfway through the afternoon.

“Generally, we have in the past served about just shy of 400 people. This year so far, even just an hour and a half into it, we have served over 400 people,” added McKenzie.

The money raised from the pig roast benefits the Crow Wing County DWI Court, which has been helping repeat DWI offenders for the past ten years.

“DWI Court is a judicially supervised, treatment-based program created to encourage behavioral changes in participants, specifically repeat DWI offenders,” explained Preston Windorski, DWI Court Probation Agent.

Participants in the program are referred by attorneys or correctional staff at arraignment after they have been charged.

“At first, it’s a little weird and you feel like they’re just telling me what to do, but they’re really not. They’re coming from a great place and they’re so supportive and you can call them in the middle of the night,” said Natalie Johnson, who is currently in the DWI Court program. “So it’s impacted me by knowing that I’m not alone.”

The program has been hugely successful and boasts a recidivism rate of less than 10%.

“I got custody of my son back. I got reunited with my daughter. I’ve gotten a great job and been promoted and just, you know, I’m better now than where I’ve ever been,” said Jamie Luis, who is a graduate of the program.

The hog roast not only benefits the program monetarily, but it also spreads the word of its service to the public.

“The community really has wrapped its arms around our program. We just try to get the word out about what we’re about and they have been really supportive,” said McKenzie.

The DWI Court is already looking forward to next year’s pig roast and their continuing service to the Crow Wing County area.