EAST DUBLIN, Ga. — You may remember the Redneck Games that were put on each summer in East Dublin for years. They started in 1996 as a parody to the Atlanta Summer Olympics.
They continued until 2012, and now they're back with a twist and a new name: Redneckin' for Jesus games.
Randy Tidwell, also known as L-Bow, used to be the game mascot for years.
"It started out family-oriented.," Tidwell said. "You know, salute to the working man, but then it became you know, rough and rowdy bunch."
He said over time the games got out of control, with drugs and drinking taking over.
"People started getting hurt, and fights, and it just went to the dogs," Tidwell said.
He said he was in addiction for most years of the games.
He's now been sober for over eight years, thanks to help from his church family at Faith Christian Assembly. It was his pastor that recommended re-branding the games, and taking back the name.
"People when they hear the word redneck they automatically think of white trailer trash, beer-drinking, lazy folks. And people have turned their backs on it," Tidwell said.
However, for him, that's not what being redneck means at all.
"Redneck to me is somebody who works hard for what they've got," Tidwell said.
Tim Howell goes to church with Tidwell, and he's been busy setting up for the family-friendly event.
"I'll be busy with about a 160 pounds of chicken, 20 pounds of greens, eight pounds of black-eyed peas, and about 20 pounds of thin, lacy cornbread," Howell.
This year the Redneckin' for Jesus games are on Saturday, July 20 from noon to 6:00 p.m. It will be at the Faith Field, which is right across the road from Faith Christian Assembly on Snellbridge Road. Admission is free.
The food is also free, with donations being optional. They'll also have live music, corn-hole, bouncy houses, a mud flop pit, a car show, a bike show, side-by-sides, and more.
Howell said it's important to his church, to make sure young people have fun options in town that keep them out of trouble.
"I witnessed four people getting saved, right there on the Field of Faith, all because they heard about God," Howell said.
The event is free, but any donations raised will go to supporting the church's youth groups. Both Howell and Tidwell said it's important to show kids you don't need drinks or drugs to have a good time.
"You get you a good dose of that Holy Ghost, that's the best drug you'll ever experience in your life," Tidwell said.