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Vendors gear up to cater upcoming PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Course

After pitching their products to PGA officials, Louisville business owners are expecting to serve up to thousands of desserts.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Just over a month from this Wednesday all eyes will be on Louisville for the 2024 PGA Championship. The golf tournament is expected to bring in hundreds of thousands of people and preparations are well underway. 

For local businesses this is a special opportunity. In order to be one of the many vendors both Georgia's Sweet Potato Pie Company and Lil Shanklin's Donuts had to go through an application process. 

Co-owner of the pie company, Dawn Urrutia, said they were hired to cater 6,500 desserts. She said this is a great opportunity for them to also give back to the community. A trait Urrutia said her grandmother Georgia handed down to the family. 

"We actually have physical locations where we plant our Pies of Promise Libraries throughout the city," Urrutia said. "Our building has enabled us to expand our mission about giving books away."

Credit: WHAS11 News
Georgia's Sweet Potato Pie Company was hired to cater 6,500 desserts for the 2024 PGA Championship. | April 10, 2024

Those pies won't be the only sweets taking a swing at the tournament. 

Gabriela Shanklin, owner of Lil Shanklin's Donuts, said she also went through the process of pitching her product to PGA officials. They secured their spot and will now serve their desserts at every breakfast. 

"We're expected to be serving 300 to 400 people every day." Shanklin said. "It's extra, it's special, it's unique. That's our drawing point. People want something that stands out right? Like make it memorable like I was at this party and they had these people making donuts."

Credit: Courtesy of Lil Shanklin's Donuts, Facebook
Gabriela Shanklin holds up tasty treats from her business, Lil Shanklin's Donuts.

Both companies seem to have made a hole-in-one impression. They said the process of applying and pitching their desserts was quick. 

"I would tell everybody that if this opportunity presents itself again to apply," Urrutia said. "Don't be afraid. It's not like 'Shark Tank' or these places you go on. Where they tear you down."

Shanklin said they were able to try her desserts and she showed them what they do through her Instagram and Facebook reels. 

"That was a big drawing point," Shanklin said. "To to be connected to such a big organization is an honor."

The tournament will kick off at the Vahalla Golf Course on May 16.

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