Wings for Wags 2026: Fueling Freedom, One Wing at a Time
On Saturday, September 26, the 7th Annual Wings for Wags brought the community together at The Local Tap in downtown Sedalia for a night of wings, music, friendly competition, and shared purpose.
From the moment doors opened at 4 PM, grills were fired, booths were busy, bids were placed, and the room was alive with people fueling freedom one wing at a time.
Thank you, Sedalia, for making it another unforgettable year.
$46,574 Raised for the Mission
Together, the 7th Annual Wings for Wags raised $46,574 to support Retrieving Freedom's work placing Service Dogs with Veterans with disabilities and children with autism. Each Service Dog takes over two years of training and more than $50,000 to place, and these dogs are provided at no cost to the families who receive them.
Every ticket purchased, every bid placed, every raffle entry, and every sponsorship dollar helps move another family closer to being matched with the Service Dog that will change their life.
Thank You to Our Competing Teams
To every team who showed up, set up, and cooked over 400 wings for the love of this event, thank you. The time, effort, and heart you poured into your booths is what gives Wings for Wags its energy. Our competition would not exist without you, and neither would the impact we celebrated together on Saturday.
2026 Wing Competition Winners
Congratulations to this year's winning teams. The quality of wings served up on Saturday made voting tight across the board.
Fried Category
1st Place: Kluck It Up
BBQ/Grilled Category
1st Place: Three Guys & Squatch
People's Choice Winner
Big Dog Wings
A huge round of applause to every winner and to every team that competed.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The impact of Wings for Wags is only possible because of the businesses and individuals who stand with our mission. A heartfelt thank you to every 2026 sponsor.
Presenting Sponsor
Custom Truck One Source (CTOS)
Title Sponsors
The Local Tap
Tyson Foods
Music Stage Sponsor
Auto Glass Express
Platinum Sponsors
Back in Action Chiropractic
Equipment Share
Flat Creek Veterinary Hospital
LammTech
Premier Climate Control
Preuitt Insurance
Gold Sponsors
Missouri Health & Wellness
Showcase Sedalia
Chad Wimer General Dentistry
Silver Sponsors
Central Bank
Edward Jones, Evan Fluty
Bronze Sponsors
Culligan Water
Everette and Mary Wood
Momma Hoppers Cleaning
RCL Wiring
Sedalia Rental and Supply
Sedalia Rotary Club
Steve's Pest Control
The Hope Project
Wisper Internet
Additional Event Partners
Rad Disposal
Studio702
Thank You to Our Silent Auction and Raffle Donors
A tremendous thank you to every business, organization, and individual who donated silent auction and raffle items this year. The variety and generosity of your contributions created one of the strongest auction lineups in Wings for Wags history, and your support directly fueled our fundraising total.
Silent Auction Donors
McDonald's
Dog Quilt was donated by a lady, not sure of her name
Jimmy Johns
Katy Depo Muesum
KC Wheel
Chicken N Pickle
Nylabone
Hero Co
5.11 Tactical
FCS Financial
Missouri State Fairgrounds
Chill Cryotherapy (Sedalia, MO)
Powell Gardens
Bark Box
KC Children's Discovery Center
Academy of Salon Professionals (Sedalia, MO)
Chipotle
KC Royals
Brian's Gym (Sedalia, MO)
Jamming Nuggets (Sedalia, MO)
Scheels (Overland Park, KS)
Worlds of Fun
PRP Wine
Let's Roam
Ryman Auditorium
Waterfall Resort Alaska
Harbor Freight (Sedalia, MO)
Teddy the Dog
Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife
GNC Fuel (Sedalia, MO)
Georgous Aesthetic Bar KC
Coopers Hawk
Fluff N Tuff
Raffle Donors
Duke Manufacturing
Osage Pawn
Stanley Black & Decker
Aces & Eights Gun and Pawn
Starline Brass
Extra Donations
Wipes- Buffalo Wild Wings (Warrensburg, MO)
Baskets- Top Tier Excavating
Dumpster- RAD Disposal/Buffalo Bins & Liquidation (Sedalia, MO)
Tables-Sedalia Moose Lodge
Tables-Sedalia Rental and Supply
Water- Culligan Water (Sedalia, MO)
The outpouring of support for Wings for Wags was so generous that we hope every donor is accounted for here. If you contributed and do not see your name, please let us know. We want to thank you by name.
Entertainment on the Auto Glass Express Music Stage
A huge thank you to Matt "Mutt" Hays for taking the Auto Glass Express Music Stage on Saturday night and bringing the kind of energy that kept the crowd going from the first wing to the last bid. Live music is a signature piece of the Wings for Wags experience, and this year's set delivered.
Thank you also to Auto Glass Express for sponsoring the music stage and making this part of the night possible.
Thank You to Our Volunteers
To the volunteers who showed up early, stayed late, and did everything in between, thank you. From set-up and check-in to running the voting tables, the silent auction, the raffle, and tear-down at the end of the night, your work made every piece of the evening possible. Wings for Wags runs on volunteer hearts and hands, and ours showed up in a big way this year.
A special thank you to Matt and Joni Sartain and Tim Postuma for making Wings for Wags happen every year. Your vision, dedication, and hard work are the foundation of this event. It would not be what it is today without you.
Thank You to Our Judges
A heartfelt thank you to the judges who took on the delicious challenge of tasting, scoring, and ultimately crowning this year's winners. With 435 wings in play and tight competition across both categories, your palates had their work cut out for them. Thank you for lending your time, your taste buds, and your fairness to the competition.
Wings For Wags 2026 Judges: Mayor Williams, Chance Larsen, Chris Robinson, Sheriff Brad Anders, Andy Brockman, Jimmie Casey, Ryan Reid, Ryan Keele, Jason Jones, Bob Taylor
Looking Ahead
Already thinking about next year? So are we. Mark your calendars and watch for details on the 8th Annual Wings for Wags coming in 2027.
Until then, thank you for standing with our mission. More Veterans, more families, and more lives are changed because of what we built together on September 26.
Full Photo Gallery - Photography by Hannah Hartung Photography
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