Wegmans joins Kennedy Krieger as Community Partner in ROAR for Autism 2008

“Many businesses are built in the community, but not all of them truly become part of it,” says Pat McGuinness, merchandising manager of Wegmans Food Markets in Hunt Valley. “Community involvement is one of Wegmans’ core principles.”

He means what he says. Last spring, Wegmans got involved in the community in a big way by becoming the official Wellness Partner for the Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Ride On for Autism Research (ROAR) event.

ROAR, a biking and hiking event, is held every April to help raise money to support autism research at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. In its five-year history, the event has grown by leaps and bounds. Wegmans’ ROAR partnership is just one more sign of how much the event has grown.

Under a big tent at the event, Wegmans offered samples of natural and healthy food items as well as gluten-free products. Store representatives spoke with participants and families, helping to educate them on healthy food choices.

“This is just one of the ways we like to reach out,” says Pat. “Our message is simple: Eat well to live well.”

Pat helped pull everything together for the event this year. He says it was a big hit with both the Wegmans employees and the people who attended ROAR. He’s already thinking about how to deliver Wegmans’ good nutrition message next year.

“We’ll be there again next year,” Pat says. “It was a great event. We really enjoyed connecting with everyone and spreading the word about the importance of good nutrition.” The best thing about attending the event, adds Pat, was seeing people come together to support a worthy cause.

“ROAR is a great reminder that we live in a community in which people truly care about their neighbors,” he says. “When we work together, we really can make a difference in each other’s lives.”