VOTE FOR BUFFALO AS THE PIEROGY POCKET CAPITAL OF AMERICA!
Buffalo, New York – The City of
Buffalo has been selected as one of five semi-finalists vying for the
title of "Capital of the Pierogy Pocket of America" in a nationally
publicized contest sponsored by Mrs. T's Pierogies. This year Buffalo is
facing stiff competition from past rivals Whiting, IN and Binghamton, NY,
along with newcomer challengers Forest City, PA and Elmira Heights, NY.
Now, it’s all up to a public vote to determine which city will win the
prize money and community bragging rights of the Mrs. T’s contest. Every
vote counts! Online voting begins October 6 and will end on October 24th.
The public can vote once-a-day at www.pierogypocket.com.
Once again, Buffalo’s entry in the Mrs. T’s Pierogy Contest was submitted
by Corpus Christi Church. The Mrs. T’s contest stresses creativity and
strong civic participation to demonstrate a community’s “periogy
pride/passion.” With this in mind, the church hosted a “Best
Homemade Pierogy Contest” as part of the parish’s Polish Harvest
Festival on August 23. 17 contestants competed in the categories of
traditional, non-traditional and dessert pierogi. The number of contenders
and their mouth-watering entries underscored Buffalo’s love for pierogi as
a culinary tradition that is passed from generation to generation.
Should Buffalo win the Capital of the Pierogy Pocket title, the prize
money will be used to help fund a pilot “Learning for Life” program housed
at Corpus Christi and operated by the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph.
The program is geared to help neighborhood children in grades K-3 with
English and Language Arts.
All Western New Yorkers are encouraged to enlist their family and friends
across the world to vote for Buffalo every day for the next 17 days at
www.pierogypocket.com.
Background Information
Last year Buffalo was represented in the Mrs. T’s contest with an
impressive application submitted by Corpus Christi Church that included
letters of support from elected officials and community leaders, including
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown officially
opened the online voting round of the contest by casting his ballot at a
press conference at City Hall. Corpus Christi hosted Buffalo's Biggest
Pierogi Party, featuring pierogi hand-made by parishioners and created a
video of the event.
BroadwayFillmoreAlive.org, the online voice of Buffalo's Historic
Polonia District, set up a "Pierogi Hotline" for Western New Yorkers to
share their love of Buffalo and pierogi with the rest of the nation.
Students from the graphic and advertising design class at City Honors High
School created posters to support Buffalo's claim. Surprisingly,
Binghamton, New York ultimately won last year's Pierogy Pocket title and
the top prize of $10,000. As a semi-finalist, Corpus Christi was awarded
$1,000, which was used to help restore the headquarters of the Parish
Nurse Ministries located at the church.
Note: Pierogy is a spelling provided by Mrs. T’s Pierogies. Spellings vary
according to Slavic language. The common Polish spellings are pierog
(singular) and pierogi (plural).
Corpus Christi Church is determined to reclaim Buffalo's rightful title
as "Capital of the Pierogy Pocket of America" in a highly publicized
contest sponsored by Mrs. T's Pierogies.
The Mrs. T's competition stresses creativity and strong civic
participation to demonstrate a community's "pierogy pride/passion." As
part of what Corpus Christi expects to be a compelling contest
application, the church invites the public to join in the challenge by
submitting their best homemade pierogi for a taste test to be held on
Saturday, August 23 at 5:30p.m. during the parish's Polish Harvest
Festival. Applicants will be judged in one of three categories:
traditional (potato, cheese or sauerkraut), dessert and non-traditional
recipes. The taste test is open to all amateur cooks. (No restaurants or
commercial vendors please.) The winners in each category will receive the
title of Buffalo's Best Homemade Pierogi Maker 2008 and a $50 gift
certificate to the Broadway Market. Winners will be determined by a panel
of local celebrity judges. Interested individuals must register in advance
by calling the parish at 716/896-1050
or by
clicking here to
register online!
All Western New Yorkers are also invited to
sign a petition at the Polish Harvest Festival in support of Corpus
Christi 's bid on behalf of Buffalo for the honor of Capital of the Pierogy Pocket.
Background Information:
A video of the taste test and Polish Harvest Festival, along with the
public petition, will be submitted by Corpus Christi to Mrs.T's as part
of an elaborate and imaginative application package to bring the
"Capital of the Pierogy Pocket of America " title back to Buffalo . Last
year, Corpus Christi was selected as one of five semi-finalists in the
hotly contested competition. The church's impressive application
included letters of support from elected officials and community
leaders, including Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Buffalo Mayor Byron
Brown officially opened the online voting round of the contest by
casting his ballot at a press conference at City Hall. Corpus Christi
hosted Buffalo 's Biggest Pierogi Party, featuring pierogi hand-made by
parishioners and created a video of the event. BroadwayFillmoreAlive.org,
the online voice of Buffalo 's Historic Polonia District, set up a "Pierogi
Hotline" for Western New Yorkers to share their love of Buffalo and
pierogi with the rest of the nation. Students from the graphic and
advertising design class at City Honors High School created posters to
support Buffalo 's claim as the "Capital of the Pierogy Pocket." For
their efforts, the church was awarded $1,000, which was used to help
restore the headquarters of the Parish Nurse Ministries at Corpus
Christi .
Surprisingly, Binghamton , New York ultimately won last year's Pierogy
Pocket title and the top prize of $10,000. Rev. Anzelm Chalupka, Pastor
of Corpus Christi, remains undaunted. Despite tremendous odds, he helped
save the cherished landmark church on Buffalo 's East Side from closing
in 2004.
Last year's Pierogi Party was a huge success, with hundreds of
people lining up to sample the handmade, delectable morsels. The event
was a fantastic bonding experience for the congregation and for the
larger Buffalo community. Win or lose, Fr. Anzelm welcomes the
opportunity to rekindle that spirit of camaraderie and civic pride. He
noted that Mother Teresa once said, "We don't have to be successful but
faithful." "We will try to win but it is not only our goal. Gathering
people with the same heart is a strength for our forgotten community on
the East Side . It is a sign that we can accomplish something only if we
come together."
If successful, this year's prize money will help to fund a pilot
Learning For Life program housed at Corpus Christi 's Kolbe Center and
operated by the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph. The program is geared
to help neighborhood children in grades K-3 with math and reading
skills.
Note: Pierogy is a spelling provided by Mrs. T’s Pierogies. Spellings
vary according to Slavic language. The common Polish spellings are
pierog (singular) and pierogi (plural).
The Mrs. T's competition stresses creativity and strong civic
participation to demonstrate a community's "pierogy pride/passion." As
part of what Corpus Christi expects to be a compelling contest
application, the church invites the public to join in the challenge by
submitting their best homemade pierogi for a taste test to be held on
Saturday, August 23 at 5:30p.m. during the parish's Polish Harvest
Festival. Applicants will be judged in one of three categories:
traditional (potato, cheese or sauerkraut), dessert and non-traditional
recipes. The taste test is open to all amateur cooks. (No restaurants or
commercial vendors please.) The winners in each category will receive the
title of Buffalo's Best Homemade Pierogi Maker 2008 and a $50 gift
certificate to the Broadway Market. Winners will be determined by a panel
of local celebrity judges. Interested individuals must register in advance
by calling the parish at 716/896-1050
or by
