2nd Annual Little Italy Meatball Eating Contest – Pandola Learning Center

Pictured (LtoR) Kimber Goodwin, Blonde Marketing president/event co-organizer; Mike Bordick, former Baltimore Orioles player/meatball judge; “Joe Benny” Gardella, Joe Benny’s owner/event co-organizer; and Russ Cipolla, Team Four Food Service owner

Pictured (LtoR) Miriam Mathis, Baltimore-based media buyer; Phil “The Fury” Fiore, AXA financial advisor/meatball eating contest defending champion; Julie Fiore, Giant pharmacist; and Joe Fiore, Merck clinical scientist

Pictured (LtoR) Ray Brown, Petite La Fare chef/owner; and Bob Wood, Oracle director of software development

Pictured (LtoR) Joe Benny’s colleagues: Cheryl Price; Cory Robertson; Courtney Burkett; and Conner Robertson

Pictured (LtoR) Nick DeCarlo, ecommerce manager; Rick DeCarlo, Baltimore County deputy sheriff; and Tony DeCarlo, T1CG programmer

Pictured (LtoR) Belinda Stern, Baltimore area commercial real estate manager; Carla Dodd, Johns Hopkins University grant manager; and Lauren Morowit, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law & Johns Hopkins Carey Business School JD/MBA student

Pictured (LtoR) Cathy O’Brien, Suffolk County, NY, Water Authority senior finance clerk; and Margaret Miller, Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano event manager/bartender

Pictured (LtoR) Erica Baxter, ClearChoice Dental Implants Company corporate trainer; Min O, Healthcare Asset Network; Carin Weiss, PKW Associates director of business development; and Steve Miller, CBG Building Company project executive

Another sold-out crowd turned out for the “2nd Annual Little Italy Meatball Fest.”

Folks not only enjoyed a buffet dinner of pasta and meatballs and salad, they could also sample entries and cast their votes in the Best Meatball Competition.

The highlight of the fest was the meatball eating contest, in which contestants couldn’t use utensils or their hands. The event benefited the Pandola Learning Center.