With just a pack of wings and a group of friends, a hot and spicy idea was born. Although only the first meeting commenced this past Monday, the FHC Wing Club is off to a sizzling start. 

“So [some friends and I] were rolling this little gathering [with] probably like 15 or 20 people, and we had a 60 pack of frozen wings,” explained senior Arash Kordbacheh, the club’s Wing Ambassador. “We just cooked all the wings, and everyone just feasted down on them and had a great time. We were like, ‘Hey, we should make this a club, we should do this more often.’”

From the get-go, a community for the Wing Club was in place. But in order to make this club official, the word needed to be spread and support needed to be garnered. As the group started processing technicalities, the gears for creating the Wing Club began grinding.

“We created a poster and then we collected like a hundred signatures,” said senior John Tomsheck, one of the presiding Wing Club presidents. “Then, we asked [special ed teacher] Mr. [Todd] Hartman if he’d be our advisor, and we just got the paperwork done.”

The Wing Club started from humble beginnings but has immensely grown in popularity over the past week. As of right now, there are approximately 70 members, but joining this club can go one of two ways: just simply showing up for a couple of wings and a conversation or taking on what’s called the Blazin’ Challenge.

“Some people took the Blazin’ Challenge [to join the club],” John said. “You eat two wings, and then you put some Blazin’ sauce on it. If you last five minutes without drinking water, you’re good [to move to the next round].”

But the final round is a whole other animal: the “Presidential Dip.” This round is not just simply dipping a wing into some spicier sauce, but it’s the ultimate dunk into the absolute hottest of sauce—it can result in some significant pain, as a few of the members have witnessed and experienced.

“Well, [the ‘Presidential Dip’] is quite spicy,” Arash said. “I don’t know exactly how many Scoville units, but not many people have tried it. [Senior] Mac Boike had a little [sauce] sprinkled in on his wings, and his face turned quite red—more red than usual. I could say that it’s very spicy from personal experience. I had barely any [sauce], and my mouth was just on fire. The ‘Presidential Dip’ is no joke.”

As far as scheduling and planning go, most of the decisions are up to the presidents John Tomsheck and senior Varun Ram. Buffalo Wild Wings has been the first stop so far on the itinerary, but many more restaurants lie ahead and abroad for the Wing Club—some even wait for the club’s arrival from up to an hour away. No matter the distance, there are numerous places out there that the Wing Club plans on hitting in the near future.

“We searched a lot [to find restaurants],” Varun said. “A lot of research goes into this club. We also do some surveys and ask a lot of our friends about good places.”

Although certain technical things and club roles are still being figured out, a couple of positions—including the Wing Ambassador role—have been appointed and assigned some responsibility already. Even though it’s the very beginning of the season for the Wing Club, people are getting to know the ropes and are helping out the presidents.

“[As a Wing Ambassador] I sometimes help with scheduling or opinions on what to do and where to take the club forward,” Arash said. “I help out when I can, and if needed, the [presidents] can call upon me [for input].”

The Wing Club already has quite a strong spirit and social standing, but there are goals for the long run. With every meeting, the club is hoping to expand in members and numbers of restaurants hit; it’s all about the growing analytics and the raising the consumption of wings.

“[We want to hold] probably like 30 to 40 meetings,” Varun said. “We’re also hoping to get a hundred members by our last meeting.”

Based on how successful the Wing Club is thus far, reaching those goals will likely be a walk in the park. Until then, the club meetings will loosely take place once or twice a week on Tuesdays or Thursdays at whatever restaurant is that stop of the day. 

With only one meeting under their belts, the Wing Club is already a new and passionate community among the school and students. Everyone from every grade is welcomed with open arms and bountiful wings, proving to be an ideal outlet for many. The atmosphere is convivial, and the spice is just utterly invincible.

“I love the camaraderie of [the club],” Arash said. “I love how in the last meeting, we had everyone from all four grades show up and how we just had a whole section of the restaurant with everyone trying different wings and having a good time.”

An additional benefit to joining the Wing Club is being able to connect with fellow students from all grades under the name of flavorful heat. A common theme among the members is a burning love of spice and flaming wings, as the word “mild” is seemingly irrelevant. But in the end, every flavor of wing is welcome—it’s just a smart idea to be braced for the inevitable zest.

“We let our members order whatever they want,” Varun said. “Usually, I [order] around 10 to 15 wings.”

And for John, he’s in 100% agreement with his fellow president.

“I’m a big traditional guy myself—no boneless [wings],” John said. “Just make sure you’re into spicy food, and be ready for that ‘Presidential Dip.’”

Though the Wing Club has just made its debut, it is a club that is hoping to be passed down to future generations of FHC students. It’s more than just the wings that make this club a club; it’s the people coming together to share an enjoyable experience, the making of memories, and of course, trying to maintain the few remaining taste buds due to the intense spice levels. 

“Just go for it,” Arash said. “There are not many requirements. Try the Blazin’ sauce if you think you’re up for the challenge, but if not, you’re still welcome [in the Wing Club].”