By KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
EDISON — Shredded lettuce and deli meats flew in a fight to the end among members of the Edison Police Department and Edison Fire Department as they made as many hoagies as they could in three minutes.
The competition was held to mark the opening of the township’s first Wawa convenience store on Woodbridge Avenue last week.
In the end, members of the police department made 38 hoagies, defeating members of the fire department by one hoagie.
For the win, they received bragging rights to a large trophy, which Police Chief Thomas Bryan held up proudly after the contest.
Five township firefighters — Christopher Latham, Daniel Maurath, Brian Schreck, Robert Torres and Peter Yackel — and five township police officers — Chief Bryan, Deputy Police Chief Ron Mieczkowski, Lt. Robert Dudash Jr. and Officers Neel Patel and Chris Gadomski — slipped on aprons over their uniforms on Dec. 9 to make hoagies at the grand opening of the town’s new Wawa convenience store on Woodbridge Avenue and College Drive.
The hoagie-making contest helped the team of firefighters raise $1,000 for the St. Barnabas Medical Center’s Burn Center in Livingston and helped the team of police officers raise $1,000 for the Somerville-based Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey.
The donations were made through the Wawa Foundation Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded to encompass all of Wawa’s charitable giving to fulfill lives and support communities committed to health, hunger and everyday heroes.
“I am proud of our police officers and firefighters for stepping out of their conventional roles to help raise money for these worthy charitable causes,” said Mayor Thomas Lankey.
The mayor said the location is phenomenal and near apartments and Middlesex County College.
“Every new commercial investment in our community, whether it’s small or large, helps strengthen our local economy and makes Edison a better place,” he said.
The Woodbridge Avenue Wawa is the first in Edison bringing in 40 new jobs and one of six new New Jersey locations that the 52-year-old Pennsylvania-based chain will open or has opened before the end of the year. Wawa already operates stores in Woodbridge, East Brunswick, Old Bridge and Sayreville.
Scott Kent, regional operations manager at Wawa, said they have been looking for a location in the Edison area for quite some time.
Jim Shortall, director of store operations, said with the community college they expect to see faculty and students traverse through their 14th store in Middlesex County.
The chain operates more than 730 convenience retail stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Florida, with stores offering a large food service selection that includes built-to-order hoagies, freshly brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, beverages and an assortment of soups, side dishes and snacks.
For more information about St. Barnabas Medical Center, visit www.barnabashealth.org/Saint-Barnabas-Medical-Center. To learn more about the Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey, visit www.tsanj.org.
