SHOPRITE LINKS WITH PRO GOLFER TO RAISE FUNDS FOR FOOD BANK

RICHARD TURCSIK

JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- While Tiger Woods was grabbing national headlines, at a ShopRite store here another professional golfer was busy putting for tuna and a worthy cause.

To raise both awareness and funds for the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Val Skinner, a top-ranking competitor on the Ladies Professional Golf Association circuit, participated in a Supermarket Sprint shopping spree co-sponsored by Inserra Supermarkets, Mahwah, N.J., and Wakefern Food Corp., the Elizabeth, N.J.-based cooperative that serves as the distribution and merchandising arm for ShopRite supermarkets.

Skinner set up a putting green in the store and for each putt she made, 30 seconds were added to a Supermarket Clock that timed the shopping spree. Since Skinner made 10 of 10 putts, five minutes were placed on the clock.

Skinner shopped for Community Food Bank's northern branch in Hillside, while a food bank volunteer shopped for the southern branch in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. A shopper who won a store drawing also participated, shopping for her family of five children.

The only rule placed on the contest was that the shoppers could take just one of each item.

Laura McCafferty, a Wakefern spokeswoman, told SN that while Skinner and the other participants "hit the meat counter pretty hard" scooping up filets mignon, roast beefs and other meat items, the canned fish aisle was also a popular stop.

"They could take one of each brand and one of each size. It just so happens this store has the gigantic club-size cans that weigh several pounds. Right across the aisle from the tuna fish is the canned chili and Dinty Moore stews, and they went for those as well," she said.

The three participants won more than $1,600 worth of food, Nigro said, and could barely push their carts when they were done.

Wakefern also used the shopping spree to donate a check for $130,000 to Community Food Bank, which it raised last summer at its annual ShopRite LPGA Classic Golf Tournament.