Community News from Garfield, New Jersey • A3

COMMUNITY NEWS APRIL 30, 2015 GG3 GARFIELD Wawa brings jobs to city, donates to PD and FD at opening IliBBliC BY KRISTIE CATTAFI Staff Writer Garfield celebrated the grand opening of Wawa, a gas stationconvenience store chain that brought 50 new jobs to the area and is part of the new River Road development The Mill Shoppes of Garfield. The new store officially opened on April 17 at 7 Jewell St. with a grand opening celebration with city and Wawa officials on hand and a charitable hoagie building competition between the Garfield police and fire departments. The Garfield High School band and members from the Garfield VFW and Wawa's mascot, Wally Goose, were also at the event. Wawa's area Manager Scott Kent said that the company supports the community and donated $500 to the Garfield High School band and the VFW for their participation in the grand opening.

Garfield's store opening came the day after Wawa's 51st birthday. Director of Store Operations Jim Shortall said although it was just the 51st birthday, Wawa history spans more than 200 years and originates in New Jersey. Wawa President and CEO Chris Gheysens said that although Wawa is a Pennsylvania-based company, they opened up four stores in New Jersey last year including Lodi and are transitioning to opening more stores in northern New Jersey. In 2015 two more New Jersey stores are scheduled to open in Hacken-sack and Somerset. The mayor and council were in attendance as well as other local officials like Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, Assemblyman Benjie E.

Wimberly and Freeholder Maura DeNicola. "This is a wonderful day for Garfield. Wawa, welcome to the city of champions, we welcome you with open arms," Mayor Tana Raymond said. The grand opening concluded with a Hoagies for Heroes competition where the Garfield police and fire departments competed for a trophy. Wawa donated $1,000 to each department.

Garfield police said the money would be going to their PBA Local 46 for future charity events and the Garfield Fire Department said it would be donating the money to the Greg Barnas Memorial Fund. Wallington Fire Department Capt. Greg Barnas, 57, was fighting a two-alarm elec PHOTOSNICK DELAHANTY Members of the Garfield Fire Department take part in a sandwich-making contest at Wawa in Garfield on April 1 7. trical fire that broke out at Akasa-ka Japanese Restaurant on Pater-son Avenue on Feb. 28, 2014 when he fell off the one-story roof while cutting through for ventilation and passed away.

The police department took home the trophy edging out the fire department with 25 to 22 hoagies. "We are thrilled to bring the Wawa experience to the residents of Garfield and we look forward to demonstrating our commitment to fulfilling lives with our fresh food and beverages and with meaningful connections with our new friends and neighbors in North Jersey," Gheysens said. "We continue to look for new sties in the North Jersey market and we look forward to bringing the Wawa experience to more residents in New Jersey. From building new stores to new connection points with Wawa Rewards to opening new stores in new communities, we've never been more committed to investing in our communities and fulfilling customer's lives each and every day." MARKETPLACE FAX 1-800-472-0156 973-905-4023 EDITORIAL 201-791-8994 FAX 201-794-3259 communitynewsnorthjersey.com Fire Department received donations from Wawa. Stop and Verizon store.

The developer is currently working on other leases to occupy the includes a completed Investors Bank and ground breaking on the last building was this past February. The last building will include a Sarku Japanese restaurant, Wing Community News publishes every Thursday. Offices are located at 12-38 River Road, Fair Lawn, NJ. 07410-1802. Average audited circulation verified by Certified Audit of Circulation.

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For subscriptions, call 1-888-504-4280. Garfield Team PBA and Team Wawa is part of the Mill Shoppes of Garfield, developed by Coremark Garfield, LLC. The site borders River Drive, Outwa-ter Lane, Jewell Street and Columbus Avenue. It already COMMUNITY NEWS 12-38 River Road Fair Lawn, NJ 07410-1802 2015 North Jersey Media Group Inc. be edited and may be published, reproduced or distributed in print, Email: cattafinorthjersey.com Photo Reprint Service and PDF Full-Page Sales To order reprints for personal jse of photos that have appeared in this paper since Z007, visit www.northjerseyimages.com.

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