What do you get when you combine a banker, a college president, a firefighter, a general manager, a law enforcement official, a food distributor, a high school student and a humble pizza maker?  You get a team of individuals who knows how to work together to help feed the hungry in the community. And that’s exactly what this dream team of pizza lovers is doing on Saturday, November 8^th at the Battle at the Big Apple. The Battle at the Big Apple is based on the simple and tasty premise that everybody loves pizza and helping to support their community during tough times. 

Many of the world’s most famous eaters, including several Top Ten hot-dog eating champions like Pat “Hawk” Bertoletti, will be coming to a Big Apple Pizza and Pasta in an effort to help eliminate hunger on the Treasure Coast and support The Van Duzer Foundation.  Local celebrities like Sheriff Ken Mascara will also be participating in the pizza eat-off of the century. A non-profit organization created by Jefferson Award Winner and Big Apple Pizza and Pasta owner Scott Van Duzer, The Van Duzer Foundation was created to assist St. Lucie County families and individuals who are experiencing personal and financial hardship brought about by unforeseen crisis or tragedy. Van Duzer believes that caring for the community and volunteerism can be lots of fun and he’s putting his money – or rather his pizza where his mouth is.

Please bring a canned food donation November 8^th to help the Boy Scouts restock the shelves, but even if you can’t, you’re still invited to join the fun as your neighbors, friends, local celebrities and maybe even you will test your skills at becoming a World Famous Pizza Eater. In May, the Van Duzer Foundation shattered the world’s record for the Longest Line of Pizzas by more than 100 feet. On November 8^th, a new world’s record may be broken – the one for how many slices of pizza can be eaten in a very short time. The cameras will be rolling and the stomachs will be grumbling as world-class eaters, and a few local celebrities and world-class eaters in their own right, will face off to see who will win bragging rights (did we mention the $2,500 in cash prizes?) and a chance to wear the coveted Pizza Eating Champion Belt.

Throughout the month of October, the Boy Scouts of the Gulf Stream Council have been collecting canned and non-perishable food donations from over 100 participating locations, including 28 National City Bank locations, all St. Lucie County Fire Departments, the Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce Police Departments and Sheriff’s offices, and Indian River State College’s Fort Pierce campus, to name a few. It’s all part of their annual Scouting for Food drive, so watch your front door for that familiar door hanger that will appear on Saturday, November 1^st and please start purchasing an extra can or two of food the next time you’re doing your grocery shopping.

All canned and non-perishable food collected will help restock shelves at the Salvation Army, Mustard Seed Ministries and Harvest Food and Outreach Center. All three organizations have reported empty shelves and with the economy in such turmoil, the need is greater than ever.

If you’ve ever wondered just how many slices of yummy pizza one person really can eat, make plans to be at Big Apple Pizza and Pasta in Fort Pierce, located right across from IRSC’s Fort Pierce Campus at 2311 S. 35^th Street on Saturday, November 8th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the final contest scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. If you need additional information, visit the Big Apple Pizza and Pasta location nearest you, call Scott VanDuzer at (772) 528-3467 or check out the Foundation’s website at www.TheVanDuzerFoundation.org.