Amidst the buzz and the simmering pots, one man stepped forward to compete for the first time, carrying years of quiet anticipation. When his name was called as the winner, the shock was not just in the prize but in the shared victory of a community coming together—where every flavor told a story, and every story was a testament to connection, resilience, and unexpected triumph.
Every summer my community has a cookoff competition. Usually about 20-30 individuals or couples try to cook xyz and then they can win a portion of the entry ticket fees while the rest go into the community parks.
It’s not summer yet but they decided to do it early. This year it was pasta sauce. I’ve been going to these for years, ever since my wife and I moved here but this is the first time I entered as a competitor.
It was earlier today.
One of the other competitors, I know her somewhat (only in passing) is a 15 or 16 year old with Asperger’s Syndrome and autism. I don’t know much about this condition evidently. I’ll call her Jessica.
I guess a lot of people got wind of her being a part of the competition that we had news crews here taping her to put on the news. We’ve never had this before as far as I know.
To make the story short, I won the competition. And $1,500. There’s no second or third place prize, it’s winner takes all. My wife and I were in shock because I like to think of myself as a decent home cook and take pride in my pasta sauce specifically, but to win a contest?
We were tickled pink.
We celebrated for about twenty minutes when the event organizers came to us. You might be able to guess where this is going, but they asked if we’d give our prize to Jessica as a “gesture of good will”.
They said they’d get some publicity since news reporters are here. We obviously said no, $1,500 is a lot of money. So they then asked if we’d like to split it, 50/50, with Jessica.
Likewise we said no.
I guess some nearby patrons overheard the conversation and chimed in. Apparently we’re assholes and jerks for not sharing the prize at least. After a few moments, there might have been 10 other people all clamoring to us about how we’re a disgrace to the community, etc.
We had to leave and haven’t collected our winnings yet. I can’t even imagine what’s going to happen tomorrow.
Conclusion
The original poster (OP) won a significant cash prize in a community cook-off competition based on merit. The central conflict arose when organizers and other community members pressured the OP to surrender or share the winnings with a teenage competitor who has Asperger’s Syndrome, seemingly due to her age and the presence of news crews.
Considering the OP won fair and square in a competition with set rules, was their refusal to give away earned money justified, or did the unique circumstances involving a young, disabled participant create a moral obligation to share the prize for community optics and goodwill? This forces a debate between earned reward and perceived social responsibility.
Here’s how people reacted:
I want an update because the way this reads it doesn’t sound like you will be getting any prize money at all. They will either swing it to You donating it to the girl or have you disqualified somehow.
NTA
It doesn’t sound like this is Jessica’s fault, however. The people in charge are definitely the assholes because they only asked you to give/split the prize so they get good publicity.
Also, lawyer friend sitting next me says: there is NO legal basis to withhold the money from you as well (given that you won the competition). Just in case they give you trouble tomorrow…
I would take me SO GODDAMN LONG to unteach my autistic kids the implied lesson of “you enter, you win!” Once something happens a certain way for her, that’s how it’s always supposed to go. I would be stuck trying to get her to realize people don’t have to share what they won with her. Also, I would be horrified and humiliated if a bunch of people were shaming someone because they chose not to give my kid their cash prize.
People are losing their minds.
edit- sounds like the competition was set up to go to “Jessica” no matter what the outcome. if they wanted the 1,500 to go to her, why don’t they donate it to her themselves rather than creating a competition?
Why are we setting up Jessica as inspiration porn? She entered a contest and didn’t win. I’m sure she can enter others and hopefully win on her own merits. People with autism can do amazing things and don’t need to be treated like merely doing anything is extraordinary. Jessica isn’t an asshole, but these organizers are. You won the contest. Why even have it if they’re just going to insist you give your prize away??
If the event organizers wanted to give Jessica the prize money, they should have let her win the competition. It’s unfair that they put the onus on you guys.
The event organizers also could have come up with a new award on the spot for Jessica. (No one would care if this new award hadn’t been mentioned until now) That would have been ideal, and it wouldn’t have involved you guys at all.
>Apparently we’re assholes and jerks for not sharing the prize at least. After a few moments, there might have been 10 other people all clamoring to us about how we’re a disgrace to the community, etc.
“You’re all welcome to open your wallets right now and pull a prize together for her. I’ll wait.”
If they wanted to give Jessica the prize for publicity, they should have done it. Awarding it to you and then trying to guilt you into splitting it is unprofessional. You are not required to share.
Perhaps they should award her an inexpensive plaque or something?
But you would be the asshole if you didnt share the recipe for this award winning pasta sauce.
/s
Edit: it hilarious at the amount of people who cant tell its sarcasm