[TURKEY RUN :: SERB FEST - Online] Fire & Ice Extravaganza

First awarded in 2005, the Golden Cevapcici Award is coveted by all. The highly sought after pile of plaster meat is generally awarded biennially (every two years) to the attendee who best exemplifies the Tenets of Turkey Run while particularly displaying year-round Spirit for Turkey Run. It has also served as somewhat of a “lifetime achievement award” for some of its recipients. The award is to be proudly displayed in the recipient’s home for the two year period before being returned to Turkey Run for the next presentation.

Traditionally, the Founding Members make the final call on the recipient, though may call on the opinion of the Councilmen in the event that the Founding Members are in disagreement.

Another possible scenario might be one Founding Member feeling strongly that the other is the most deserving of the award. This takes devising somewhat of a scheme to fool the deserving Founding Member into thinking they both agree on another attendee deserving the award. At that point, that Founding Member must consult with the alternate nominee and seek his approval to award the other nominated Founding Member. While the other nominee may choose to not support the Founding Member's nomination, it would be highly frowned upon and seen as an act of disrespect and selfishness in the name of taking the award for himself.

If in the unlikely event that both Founding Members are scheming to nominate the other, the nominee that both Founding Members "agreed" upon shall consult with the Councilmen to choose the final recipient. The senior-most Councilman shall make the presentation of the award.

2005 :: Jovan Zelenkovich
	Completely taken aback, Jovan is the proud inaugural recipient of the Golden Cevapcici Award as Scott looks on with great pride. His nomination, a culmination of nearly 20 years of attendance to Serb Fest and his undeniable role in the continued success of Serb Fest.

2007 :: Scott Berger
	Nominated by Jovan Zelenkovich for his "lifetime achievement" and numerous contributions to TR including the maintenance of TR Online and participation in organizing TR each year. Scott stands proudly displaying his award at his home in Naperville, IL prior to TR 2009.

2009 :: Charlie Ruiz
	Charlie was unanimously voted on by Founding Members Scott Berger & Jovan Zelenkovich, heralded as having displayed countless instances of Teamwork not only at TR 09, but in each of his past Serb Fest attendances. He was also recognized for his being living proof that the Spirit of Turkey Run does not begin and end on Memorial Day Weekend, but is something that should live with you each and every day of the year.

2011 :: Jeff Heitzman
	Nutz's history with modern day Serb Fest including his witnessing of the infamous TR 1999, his coining of the term “Fire & Ice” in 2003 and his recent willingness to enthusiastically take over the responsibility of securing the weekend’s Serbian food made him a deserving recipient! We congratulate him on his achievement and place in Serb Fest history!

2013 :: Jeff Berger
	Krangis's contributions to preserving the Legend of Turkey Run through the release of several documentaries and video trailers made him a very deserving recipient of this honor! He has built quite a legacy over the past decade and we're sure this award will be displayed proudly in the Berger home for the next 2 years!

2015 :: Rishi Loona
	Rishi has proven year after year that he is in fact a very deserving recipient of this coveted award. Whether it's his relentless manning of the grill, a modern day Cika Bora, or his unwavering commitment to travel halfway across the country to attend TR each year, Rishi has no doubt made great impact on the Legend of Turkey Run!

2017 :: OLAF
	As a Founding Member, OLAF has put his stamp on Serb Fest - almost quite literally, as his silouhette from an off moment during the annual hike in 2003 immediately became an icon of TR. When he's not pounding High Life's, he's instrumental in orchistrating the weekend's event's each year. He's also been active in recruiting new attendees, vital to the future vibrancy and longevity of Serb Fest.

2019 :: Dave R
	Since 2005, Dave's spirit has embodied everything that you'd want to see in a Serb Fest attendee. And it doesn't start and stop with the weekend. He's one of those guys who will have TR top of mind all year long... and we love that! A perveyor of fine mystery sausages, a destroyer of watermelons and a man of great, great intellect, Dave never disappoints!

2021 :: Crazy Dan
	Crazy Dan's moment with the coveted Golden Cevapcici Award is clearly long overdue, but 16 years after it's initial presentation, Dan has only grown his Legend status. Let's face it, he's the heart and soul of Serb Fest and he's front and center in many of our favorite, most hilarious and most bizarre moments in TR history. He's synonymous with TR and is undoubtedly a deserving recipient!

2023 :: Joe Ecker
	Joe has embodied the true spirit of Turkey Run and Serb Fest from the moment he arrived on the scene in 2017. He can pound a beer with the best of them and is responsible for some of the finer TR quotes in recent history! In 2022, he became just the second Triple Crown winner in TR History, having died nearly 3 times (arguably 4) during a single trip to TR. We're sure glad he survived and was able to be the recipient of this great honor for 2023!

2025 :: Julie Berger
	A pioneer amongst the Serb Fest 2nd Gen, she broke the “relationship” barrier 20 years ago in 2005 as the guys welcomed her as the first significant other to attend, opening the door to the family friendly Serb Fest we all enjoy today! Her contributions to the great traditions we know and love today are a plenty… and she’s the sculptor of the award itself, a glorious plaster pile of meat! A truly deserving recipient on the 20th anniversary of the Award’s debut!

2005 :: Jovan Zelenkovich

Grilled and chilled, the cevaps are carefully bound together by thread.


Scott proudly displays the meat that will soon be submerged into a gel-like substance in a makeshift box covered with tin foil. Overnight, the substance congeals and the meat must carefully be removed from it's newly formed shell. This proves to be an ultra-tedious process that can make or break the realism of the final product. Once we have hollowed out the shell, it is filled with plaster. Overnight, the plaster hardens and the rubber-like shell is pealed away revealing the plaster pile of meat. It is then attached with epoxy to a wooden base and painted gold.


Its container is covered with candid cevapcici related photos and the inside lip of the box bears the 4 Tenets of Turkey Run.