Smoke will be rising over Veterans Park this week, as cooks and volunteers come together to raise money for VFW Post 6088.

From 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Thursday, plates of barbecue, slaw, potatoes and rolls will handed out for $8. Organized by John and Mary Martin Moore, the proceeds will be donated to the River Road post.

“We’re just giving them something so they can pay the light bill, to help them to be able to carry on and do what they want to do. I feel like they’ve earned it and deserve it,” John Moore said.

Moore might be recognizable to many as the cook behind Coondogs Cook Shed and the creator of Coondogs Barbecue Sauce, but the VFW fundraiser is personal to him.

Moore’s father, 80-year-old Durwood Moore, is a member of VFW 6088, and a U.S. Navy veteran of Vietnam. As the VFW Post 6088 population grows older, the number of members able to pitch in to labor-intensive fundraisers has decreased. It’s time for the next generation to step in to help out, according to Moore.

“My dad is a member, and I hear him talk about how ‘We got to sell this,’ and ‘We don’t have money for that,’” Moore said. “They’re older, they can’t do it themselves. … I just knew that they can’t do it, and, hopefully, this is the first (barbecue sale) of many to be able to help them out down there.”

Moore said the response to the fundraiser has been positive, not only with volunteers, but with ticket sales.

“We’re jumping in and helping out, and it’s been no problem, everyone’s just been willing to help,” Moore said. “We’ve sold 420 tickets, we’re only selling 500, but I’m going to cook for 600. We’ll be serving to the public until we run out.”

For more information or purchase tickets, contact John Moore at 252-945-2440 or Mary Martin Moore at 252-945-0773.