'Pizza Wars' Raise $2K+ For Local Charities In Hampton Bays

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — Hampton Bays School District administrators brought their appetites to a new challenge aimed at helping local charities.

The administrators, who said they came armed with competitive spirit and a commitment to community service, participated in the first-ever Hampton Bays Purple & White Pizza Wars at Uncle Joe’s Pizza.

Divided into teams Purple and White, the administrators competed as servers, hosts and counter staff to raise funds for their respective charities as part of Uncle Joe’s Neighborhood, a new community-giving initiative designed to support local schools, sports teams, nonprofits and charitable organizations throughout the area, district officials said.

Uncle Joe’s Neighborhood pledged 20 percent of the event sales to each team’s designated charity and a grand prize of $1,000 to the winning team, officials added.

On Oct. 14, Team Purple, made up of Superintendent Lars "Large Parmesan" Clemensen, Director of Bilingual and Special Education Diane "Focaccia" Fox, Middle School Principal Dennis "Deep Dish" Schug, High School Assistant Principal Mike "Mortadella" Morgan and Middle School Assistant Principal Michelle "Marsala" Mayros, raised $820 for the Hampton Bays Food Pantry, officials said.

They narrowly surpassed Team White’s $803, raised on Oct. 21 for the Kanas Center at East End Hospice, district officials said.

Team White was made up of Athletic Director Johnny "Formaggio" Foster, Executive Director of Educational Services Eric "Extra Cheese" Ferraro, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Mike "Mangia" Carlson and Assistant Superintendent for Finance Larry "Lasagna" Luce, school official ssaid.

The two teams agreed to split the earnings, with $1,320 donated to the Hampton Bays Community Food Pantry and $1,303 to the Kanas Center at East End Hospice, officials added.