HILLSDALE—Scott McDowell, born and raised in Hillsdale and now living in Woodcliff Lake, has for the past several years been running a barbecue for Fisher House Foundation, which builds comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay free of charge, while a loved one is in the hospital.
These homes are located at military and VA medical centers around the world. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. “Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room, and an inviting living room.”
And fortunately for the organization, McDowell’s party, hosted at Demarest Farms in Hillsdale and attended this year by an estimated 500 welling from within and beyond his thousands-strong community on Facebook — Scotty Mac’s Sippy Poo & BBQ for the Veterans — has been the largest donor of the Fisher House Foundation for the past two years.
Last year, says McDowell, supporters raised more than $75,000 — and with that, Fisher House president Dave Coker “was so excited about what we do that he decided to show up this year for himself.”
McDowell, who owns Innovative Landscapes in Woodcliff Lake, said in advance of this year’s fun, May 6 from noon to 5 p.m., “I put a target on my head of $90,000 which everybody knows me I’m very determined, and I will get it.”
Tickets were $35. McDowell posted later that the proceeds were “epic.”
The much anticipated day included live music, Texas-style BBQ, raffles, vendors, a mechanical bull ride, and Davey’s Locker Beer Garden.
“I’ve shared this passion of mine with my 10-year-old son. Together we visit local VFWs and American Legion halls. We often go around and shake the hands of our heroes and thank them for their service,” McDowell said in his outreach.
“I feel like America forgot about these heroes and doesn’t show them the respect they all deserve. The least I can do it let them know I will never forget them. I love to see the smiles on their faces, and sometimes tears in their eyes, when I just put out my hand to thank them,” he added.
McDowell said “This all stems from a barbecue group I have on Facebook. It’s what I call a Scotty Mac bubble: People can come to the page, cook, have fun; there’s no politics, there’s no animosity, there’s nothing but positive feelings for each and every one of us, and our main focus is to make the veterans feel at home and thankful for the service.”
He lauded Stephanie Bonney, who helps him manage his account at Fisher House.
And he said, “It was very nice to have actual people come up to Dave Coker and tell them their experiences of using the Fisher House.”
The group’s name, incidentally, refers to McDowell’s reputation as “the sippy-poo guy” after he posted a video of himself raising a mason jar in a toast, saying, “Cheers, everybody! Have a little sippy poo!”
McDowell, a father of two, is not a veteran. He said he “did a stint” in boot camp in the U.S. Navy in the early 1980s and demonstrated early on that “I was a pain in the ass, and that was that.”
His father, however, served in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Hillsdale’s Jenn Gilmour told Pascack Press, “I have been a member of Scotty Mac’s Sippy Poo & BBQ for the Veterans since 2018. What Scott has created with this page is absolutely incredible, and I’m so glad to be a part of his journey.”
She said of the May 6 event, “We had perfect weather, great people, and delicious food. Veterans, supporters, and children of all ages were in the sea of people. Live music was performed by TK Walker and Company, which had the crowd dancing and singing.”
Gilmour reported, “The raffle prizes were fantastic. A lot of local businesses donated to this, and we really appreciated their support! A great time was had by all in attendance, and it was for such an amazing cause.”
(Gilmour is no stranger to fighting for a good cause: She is among the founders of the annual Black Friday Moms Charity Flag Football game, supporting area food banks and other helpful groups.)
Demarest Farms, at 244 Wierimus Road, was founded in 1886 and is a staple of Bergen County. “Offering a variety of activities, including peach picking, apple picking, and pumpkin picking, the farm is the perfect spot for family-fun. The farm market offers plants, produce, fresh baked goods, and more for all of its guests to enjoy.”
McDowell’s first annual veterans shindig there, in 2019, collected more than $13,000, with the funds divvied up among the Cpl. Jedh C. Barker Memorial American Legion Post 153, the Paramus Veterans Memorial Home, and Fisher House Foundation.
In addition to the Pascack Valley and wider Bergen County, members came from as far as Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Florida, and Chicago and San Francisco, and filled local hotel rooms.
McDowell told us at the time, “I’ve never cooked for 600 people before in my life. It was a labor of love, I’m gonna tell you that right now.”
He said, “We had to run a smoker in my driveway for three days, out there every hour, in the nighttime and the rain—you can imagine what that was like. But it was all worth it.”
To the group’s members, thousands strong, he posted, “To say I’m blessed to have all of you there is an understatement. The Sippy Poo family is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. All of you make it what it is. Thank you for taking this journey with me.”