AUBURN -- At last year's hot dog eating contest at Snapper's Sports Tavern, Moose Kmyta took second place. This year he came back, armed with a "coach" and a cheering section, to beat out five younger men for first place -- or six finished hot dogs in 12 minutes.

"I just did what I had to do," Kmyta said. "Keep going from when the whistle blows to when it ends."

During the contest Kmyta had support from spectators chanting "Moose, Moose," and one, "Don't let these young bucks take you out."

Winning the contest, however, was a secondary purpose.

Organizer Neta Dodson started the contest last year as a fundraiser for the Matthew House. Dodson said she and others had caught part of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest on television at the tavern and decided it would be a fun event to have locally. Because they had known people who used the services provided at the Matthew House, Dodson said they decided to donate the proceeds to the non-for-profit, which provides a residence for terminally ill people.

This year, the hot dog contest raised $540. The SK Post 1324 donated $250 this year. Kmyta, a member of the organization, said the group donated $500 last year through the contest and, this year, donated $250 through the contest and another $250 directly to the Matthew House.

While several people donated money, only a handful seriously competed in the contest.

Michelle Namisniak rallied beforehand to get a woman to participate and ended up being nominated herself: "Give me a freakin' hot dog," she said, after several people put the pressure on her to join in.

Namisniak finished three hot dogs and dubbed herself the winner of the women's division of the contest.

Kmyta had competition in the race from Ryan Lewis, of Auburn, and Doug Saladin, both who finished five hot dogs. Lewis' friend, Tim Langan, started strong but bowed out after three hot dogs: "I looked at the people next to me and I couldn't do it," he said.

Read the full report in Monday's editon of The Citizen.