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A Special Weekend. Thousands of young athletes participated in this year’s Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games. To help support those athletes, hundreds of Wakefern associates spent their weekend on the campus of The College of New Jersey, serving food and organizing games for kids.
Walking with Purpose. Wakefern associates supported former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand at his A Walk to Believe 5K earlier this month. This year’s event raised $135,000 for the research and treatment of spinal cord injuries.
Introducing... ShopRite Trading Company. ShopRite’s new private label line will feature premium foods inspired by world cuisines. The new private label line consists of premium, artisanal foods inspired by a variety of world cuisines. Described as a mix of “inspirational, artisanal and distinctive” goods, the new line’s imported foods and flavors are imported from Italy, Ecuador, Spain and Greece. ShopRite Trading Company will also feature products inspired by Asian, Indian, Greek, Italian and Latin cuisines. The new line joins ShopRite’s other popular private label lines, including its award-winning Wholesome Pantry brand, an organic and clean ingredient product line launched in 2016. ShopRite has been selling products branded under its signature ShopRite label since the mid-1950s.
Some Knowledge About College. Wakefern is hosting its 2018 Spring College Fair this Thursday, June 7. This event is for anyone interested in furthering their education, including children of Wakefern associates who are currently considering colleges or approaching college age. Many of the colleges and universities that partner with Wakefern will be present. These schools offer a discount to Wakefern associates and their children. Some offer as much as 25 percent off tuition. Discounts can be used in conjunction with financial aid, grants, or scholarships. Associates can also take advantage of Wakefern’s tuition reimbursement program.
Staying on Trend. More than 40 Wakefern associates learned how to keep up with the latest changes at Food Marketing Institute’s Future Leaders Experience Conference last month.
Get Fit. Wakefern will be offering fitness classes at four different facilities this summer. Instructors will lead associates through yoga, jazzercise and high intensity impact training workouts.
A Home Filled with Hope. ShopRite owner Harry Garafalo helped Fisher House open a facility that provides temporary lodging to veterans and their families in Connecticut. Garafalo, Wakefern and ShopRite helped make the home a reality. Garafalo said his associates held employee raffles and cashier contests that raised more than $500,000 over the past seven years. Wakefern chipped in $200,000. Garafalo and Wakefern were both honored with awards for their support of the project.
Racing for a Cure. Wakefern’s Run/Walk Club joined in the fight against breast cancer at a 5K in Jersey City last weekend. Associates covered 3.1 miles – some running, some walking, every participant united in the fight against breast cancer. No matter their finishing times, the race was a big success. It raised more than $400,000 for the organization. Those funds will help support research for a cure and care for current patients. Wakefern and ShopRite have been longtime supporters of Komen North Jersey, raising thousands of dollars over the years to support the quest for a cure.
Cleaning our Beaches. Wakefern associates helped clear litter from Sandy Hook at Clean Ocean Action’s annual beach sweeps. More than two dozen associates, family members and friends filled garbage bags with all the junk that accumulated on the beaches over the past few months. Team Wakefern joined nearly 5,000 volunteers at over 70 locations during Clean Ocean Action’s annual beach sweeps. At Sandy Hook alone, there were 845 people combing through sand, looking for candy wrappers, coffee stirrers and tiny pieces of plastic.
Overseeing the Pharm. Wakefern Executive Vice President Chris Lane was recently elected vice chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. Chris Lane will help steer an organization whose primary focus is advancing “the interests and objectives of the chain community pharmacy by fostering its growth and promoting its role as a provider of health care services and consumer products.”