Record fundraiser raises the bar, crowns first Lord of the Wings

Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

The second installment of The Record North Shore’s “Hot Ones”-inspired fundraiser, Heat Check, crowned a champion on May 19 at Pit & Tap in Wilmette.

As if surviving some of the world’s hottest hot sauces wasn’t enough, the event added a final-boss sauce for only the bravest of competitors, and only one, Tom Mahr, could conquer the extra round.

Mahr bested two of his peers and earned a shirt and title of Lord of the Wings.

The finale capped the fourth annual community collaboration between The Record and Pit & Tap. In 2025, in an effort to spice things up, the event pivoted from a casual community hang called Barbecue, Brews and News to the experience-centered Heat Check.

“When we opened five years ago I knew that I wanted to create a place that was part of the fabric of this community,” Pit & Tap owner Michael Clarke said. “Hosting a fundraiser for The Record is probably the most important thing we do every year. I can’t imagine not having a local news source, and Pit & Tap supporting this essential newspaper is our duty as community members.”

After an hour of mingling May 19, the 50 participants took their seats at the Pit & Tap tables by 7 p.m., ready to take on the 10-sauce and wing challenge in front of friends, family and community members.

Clarke and Record Board President George Rafeedie emceed the affair as sauce-loaded wings were delivered one at a time.

All went well until the midway point, when diners began to stir as the wings heat levels began to rise.

To cool things off, Clarke and Rafeedie auctioned off items like ranch dressing, ice cream, honey and popsicles — with proceeds benefitting The Record newsroom.

Relief was in high demand following the seventh wing covered in the dreaded Da Bomb Insanity hot sauce.

In response, high school student Eli Werling said, “Not good. I was in tears. My mouth was on fire. I felt like I could breathe fire.”

While Rebecca Walsh called it, “Hell in a chicken wing.”

One generous donor contributed $250 just to see Rafeedie take on the big, bad sauce.

“This is all for charity, all for local nonprofit news, The Record North Shore, but my lips feel like there is a flamethrower going round and round and round,” Rafeedie said.

A large portion of the participants went all the way through the 10th wing, but only three stepped up to take the 11th wing challenge.

All in all, Record supporters made Heat Check 2 the most successful fundraising event in the company’s six years with innumerable memories made and more than $10,000 raised in support of responsible community reporting every day for the North Shore.

The Record North Shore launched in October 2020 with a belief that public-service community reporting should be accessible for all. A majority of The Record’s annual revenue comes from its readers.

“It’s an honor to serve the community with more responsible local news through such a fun evening of slightly irresponsible hot sauces,” said Ryan Osborn, The Record’s director of development. “Thank you to everyone at Pit & Tap, to all our brave participants, and to everyone who came out to cheer them on. The Record is so grateful for your support.”

Couldn’t make the event? Support independent local reporting today and look out for future community events from your friends at The Record North Shore.

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