Borough celebrates National Pierogy Day with Mrs. T’s flag raising
SHERRY STREETER / SENTINEL PHOTO - Mrs. T's president Tom Twardzik, left, PR manager Vanessa Burney, center, and Meghan Heim, assistant PR manager, raise the National Pierogy Day flag at Shenandoah Borough Hall.
By Kaylee Lindenmuth | [email protected]
Sherry Streeter contributed to this report
SHENANDOAH – For the 11th year, Mrs. T’s Pierogies is celebrating National Pierogy Day, and with that, the company raised the National Pierogy Day flag at their plant and borough hall.
“It’s about spreading awareness and love for the pierogy,” said Vanessa Burney, PR manager. “We’re happy, at Mrs. T’s, to be the largest producer of frozen pierogies in the nation, but today is about championing the pierogy from the mom and pop shops that make them to your grandma.”
The day, October 8, was chosen because it’s the day Ted Twardzik, Sr., Mrs. T’s founder, made his first sale to a grocery store, according to a media release.
The event drew a crowd of a few dozen to the flagpole at borough hall on West Washington Street, and the first dozen of attendees received a prize.
Burney said that the company hosts nearly 100 events at colleges, universities, and other entities through National Pierogy Day.
“We’re doing celebrations at various colleges throughout the college all throughout the month,” said Burney. Kutztown University in Berks County will have such a celebration tomorrow.
Chris Dende, VP of Human Resources at Mrs. T’s, emceed the flag raising.
Dende spoke about the root of the word pierogy, saying, “It’s about festive, it’s about our memories. What are the memories we have around pierogies? It’s about family dinners, and Christmastime.”
Dende recalled church picnics in the area of Wast Washington Street, saying there’d be “lines of people making pierogies.”
As a truck began its climb up Locust Mountain, as the noise drowned Dende out, he yelled, “We especially are proud because we’re in Shenandoah, and this town is near and dear to our hearts.”
“This is a day where we’re celebrating all pierogy makers,” Dende added.
Two PR managers for Mrs. T’s, Vanessa Burney and Meghan Heim, and company president Tom Twardzik raised the flag. Prior to the flag raising, Dende emphasized how the American flag holds more meaning, as it was raised as well.
“The American flag is first and foremost,” Dende said, extending thanks to veterans. “The pierogy flag is below it, and is smaller.”
He thanked the borough for allowing the flag to fly.
“[Here,] it resonates more. It means a lot more to us here because we know what this does for our community,” Dende said as the flag raised.
Today, in conjunction with National Pierogy Day, the company also announced a nationwide contest, “searching for the brand’s very first Chief Pierogy Officer, a person whose passion for these pasta pockets… is rivaled only by their love of sharing them with the world year-round.”
The winner of the contest will receive a one year supply of pierogies, “plenty of pierogy swag,” official business cards, and a pierogy preview party, showcasing unreleased recipes of Mrs. T’s pierogies.
More information is available at the company’s website and on their social media platforms.
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