Pizza And Prevention Day Biggest Fundraiser Of The Year

PUNXSUTAWNEY (Monday, October 10, 2005) - Four years after an effort that began in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, an annual community event continues to grow each year.

"We've really had an awful lot of support this year," Fox's Pizza Den owner Scott Anthony, working in the kitchen for the fourth-annual Pizza & Prevention Day, said Saturday. "It seems to have caught on as a community event."

Saturday, Fox's Pizza Den was full with either customers coming to pick up their $9.11 pizzas or firefighters seeking directions to their next delivery destination.

And in the end, it was an effort that topped the previous three.

Sunday, Anthony said there were 1,244 pizzas sold, totaling $12,190 - consisting of funds paid for pizzas, as well as tips and donations - for the Punxsutawney Fire Department.

"It was the best year ever," Matt Powell, president of the Punxsutawney Fire Department, said.

"We did very well; it was record-breaking," Anthony said Sunday. "It was a little down last year, but it really came back this year."

He attributed the upswing to some different advertising tactics. Many local businesses also purchased Big Daddy pizzas and coupons for future events.

Powell said Pizza & Prevention is the biggest fund-raiser the Punxsutawney Fire Department has all year - and its members don't even oversee it; they just help out when help is needed.

"We count on it," he said. "It's the biggest fund-raiser we do next to Old Home Week."

In a year that has seen two hurricanes and a spike in gasoline prices, this is a time when the department could use the funds - especially in light of gas prices, Powell said.

"It's a great promotion," Matt Kengersky of Nationwide Insurance-The Kengersky Agency said, taking a break from putting together the free smoke detectors that were distributed to detector-less homes during delivery. "Scott Anthony is incredible with his generosity."

The teaming of Fox's and The Kengersky Agency began during the second year of the promotion.

Kengersky said homeowners buy insurance, but it is a fact that smoke detectors save lives.

Over the past three years, about 650 smoke detectors have been distributed during the Pizza & Prevention efforts, he said.

"It looks like we'll go through them again this year," Kengersky said Saturday.

Anthony said The Kengersky Agency's role in the effort shows "a personal touch of caring" for customers.

"That's what makes this so special," he said. "It's a good partnership."

Pizza & Prevention usually falls before or after Fire Prevention Week, which this year is being observed this week.

Other business providing assistance included County Market, Personally Yours, Pinned Designs, County National Bank, East End Heaven, Wal-Mart, the Punxsutawney Area Chamber of Commerce and Punxsutawney Mayor James Wehrle.

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