25th annual Super Bowl Hoagie Sale benefits local residents
For a quarter of a century, Washington Township has held a hoagie sale fundraiser. For the eighth year, it has partnered with its neighbors from Monroe Township to reach as many people as possible.
Ron Lucarini, one of the organizers of the “Helping Hands Super Bowl Hoagie Sale,” said the event was started to help people in need of assistance with medical concerns. Washington and Monroe townships will choose their own recipient of their fundraisers.
The hoagies come two-feet long but are cut in half and come in turkey, Italian or cheese. Hoagie trays are available for $50 each and feed 10–12 people. Orders can be placed online at wtef-nj.com or through an order form found at townshipnj.com that can be dropped off at any of the Washington Township schools. Orders are to be placed by Jan. 31, checks can be made payable to WTEF. Hoagies can be picked up between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Washington Township High School’s Ganttown Road entrance on Super Bowl Sunday.
Lucarini said that, between the two towns, more than $50,000 is raised during the hoagie sale. He added the sale was a concept created by students.
“Originally we had a bunch of kids get together to come up with community service ideas,” he said. “They came up with the idea of a hoagie sale where they’d make individual hoagies.”
He said Super Bowl Sunday was a mutually agreed upon date and changed the individual hoagie concept to a two-foot hoagie assembly line to encourage teamwork between student volunteers.
“The first year we did 500 hoagies, now it’s at the point where we do 5,000 per year.” Lucarini said.
He added the volunteers slice all of the hoagie ingredients themselves, from the meats and cheeses down to the lettuce, tomatoes and onions.
In 24 years, the hoagie sale has raised more than $650,000 for local families, according to the hoagie order form.
In addition to the money raised, the event has created a lifetime of memories. Lucarini, a former teacher, described his favorite part about the hoagie sale.
“My favorite part is seeing a kid in class who might be a little shy, after doing something like this they know they did something pretty significant,” he said. “They get a feeling of confidence and feel better about themselves.”
Lucarini continued saying the inverse is also something he took note of — kids who act out take part in the sale and turn the corner.
“I see a change from negative to positive energy,” Lucarini said.
This year, the Helping Hands Hoagie Sale celebrates its silver anniversary. In 25 years, according to Lucarini, the hoagie sale has changed hands, saying it’s no longer the COW (Changing Our World) project’s fundraiser, or even the Washington Township Education Foundation fundraiser. It’s become a tradition not only for those two entities, but for the community itself.
“It’s a lot of tradition, it’s the community’s hoagie sale,” he said.
