McCaffrey's Holds Annual Grocers Fight Cancer Day

McCaffrey’s held its annual Grocers Fight Cancer Day Wednesday in Newtown, as well as at its three other locations.

Five percent of Wednesday’s total sales from the Newtown and Yardley locations will be donated to the St. Mary Regional Cancer Center. Sales from McCaffrey’s two New Jersey locations will go to the American Cancer Society.

In honor of the day, the store offered specials, held a raffle and had a variety of entertainment, like music, balloon art and face painting. Local officials and health care professionals from St. Mary Hospital volunteered as guest baggers.

Guest baggers included Newtown Borough Mayor Dennis O’Brien, Newtown Township Supervisors Chairman Mike Gallagher and Newtown Business Association President Mick Petrucci.

The supermarket’s Grocers Fight Cancer Day has been held annually since 1992, said Kathy Bodine, Director of Marketing for McCaffrey’s.  She said store owner Jim McCaffrey began the event after his sister was diagnosed with cancer.

Since its inception, it has raised $430,000 to fight cancer, according to Bodine. She added the store hoped this year’s event would add another $50,000 to that total.

Assistant Store Manager Trish Pugh said the Newtown location had been busy throughout the day.

“It’s really neat to see the community come out to support St. Mary Hospital,” Pugh said.

The guest baggers said they were happy to volunteer and help to support a good cause. Petrucci, of the business association, said he was “having a blast.”

Mary Ann Rohrbaugh, a nurse at St. Mary Cancer Center, said she gladly volunteered to bag groceries at the event along with some of her coworkers. She said the store was busy during the time she was there.