Join Home at Last Farms, LLC, at 527 Red Hill Road in Cameron on Saturday, Sept. 19 for more food, music and camaraderie before fall starts.
Home at Last Farms and Carthage Masonic Lodge #181 have come together to throw their third annual Service Before Self BBQ Cook-Off for local charities. This year marks the eighth Service Before Self event and the third year that a cook-off has been hosted to complement it.
This get-together provides the perfect way to wrap up the summer while celebrating the veterans and first responders who’ve kept their communities safe. At this family-friendly event, attendees can see new and familiar faces while enjoying barbecue prepared by connoisseurs in the art of grilled meats.
It all starts with the barbecue cook-off on Friday, Sept. 18. The gate opens at 9 a.m. for teams to set up their grilling stations and prepare to show their skills, whether they’re working out of tents or RVs. Home at Last Farms recently added four RV spots to their land for camping opportunities and events like this one.
At 5 p.m., the grilling will get underway with teams cooking up pork and chicken leg quarters. All meats are provided by Home at Last Farms.
The pre-registration entry fee for barbecue teams is $150. Those who sign up have a chance of winning these prizes:
• 1st Place: A $500 Visa gift card and trophy
• 2nd Place: A $300 Visa gift card and trophy
• 3rd Place: A $200 Visa gift card and trophy
• People’s Choice: People’s Choice Trophy and a monetary prize based on sponsor donations
On Sept. 19, the gate opens to the public at noon for the main Service Before Self celebration. Activities start at 2 p.m. and run until 8 p.m. Entry is free; barbecue plates cost $15, and attendees can also make donations of any amount.
In combination with sponsor contributions, all proceeds from the event will go toward supporting the Moore County Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Sandhills Adult & Teen Challenge, the local Cameron fire department and scholarships for the North Carolina Masonic Foundation. Service Before Self 2026 has around 40 to 50 local sponsors, including Pete's Family Restaurant and Keith Hardware in Carthage. Last year, Home at Last Farms raised $13,000 for their chosen charities, including honoring their annual tradition of giving out three NCMF scholarships to students at Union Pines High School.
According to Chris Reeves, owner of Home at Last Farms, everything is tied to the farm’s 501(c)(3).
“If there are organizations that want to donate a larger amount, I can provide them with a 501(c)(3) letter for tax purposes,” he said.
Get your $15 barbecue plate or purchase a plate for a veteran or first responder by visiting https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/service-before-self-event.
Live music will be provided by Mike from the Bar — a yearly staple — the Chris Nelson Band and Fayetteville favorites Joyner, Young and Marie.
Service Before Self originally started as a Veterans’ Day event but was moved to September to avoid the cold of late fall and to honor Sept. 11. The farm itself was established in 2013 with “just 10 goats and a dream” after Reeves spent considerable time living overseas.
“I’m a retired Special Forces Communications Sergeant, having served at Fort Bragg for 21 and a half years,” said Reeves. “I spent a lot of time in the Middle East. After I retired, I went and did contracting; I worked with the UN. My family and I, we lived in Dubai for eight years. When we came home, we started a farm, and we named it ‘Home at Last’ because we were home at last.”
As a farm that serves double duty as an event venue, Home at Last is open to parties, weddings, graduations and other get-togethers.
“We’re very accommodating if there’s any special requests or needs or anything like that,” said Reeves.
For businesses looking to get involved with Service Before Self, spots are still open for non-food vendors or those who only sell desserts. Get more information on the event or become a vendor or sponsor by contacting Chris Reeves at 910-315-5218.

(Photo: The Service Before Self third annual BBQ Cook-Off helps to celebrate veterans and first responders. Photo courtesy of Masonic Lodge #181)