MORRIS COUNTY

Parsippany police win wing-eating competition

Fundraiser to support local 1-year-old featured first responders

Michael Izzo
@MIzzoDR

PARSIPPANY - Teams of Parsippany’s finest battled one another Saturday afternoon in a wing-eating competition to support one of their own.

Dozens of Parsippany’s first responders, from police, fire, and emergency service departments competed in the event at Buffalo Wild Wings to raise money for Emma Wyman, a 1-year-old Parsippany girl who suffered a stroke and is undergoing treatment for cancer.

Emma Wyman’s father is a corrections officer at the Morris County Jail, and her mother is a sixth grade social studies teacher at Brooklawn Middle School.

The contest featured teams of six contestants, who each had to finish a dozen mild sauce Buffalo wings in a relay-style race. Parsippany police officers, volunteer ambulance car 65 and volunteer fire district 6 were among the day’s participants.

The winning team was a group of police officers, who won despite only having five people on their team and one person having to eat an additional 12 wings.

The officers who took home the “Wing-Eating Trophy” were Ptl. Matthew McAuliffe, Ptl. Zachary Koch, Ptl. Jesse Hughes, Ptl. Elvin Giordano and Ptl. Gregory Bloete.

Organized by the Parsippany Police PBA Local 131, the fundraiser ran all day at the restaurant, with 15 percent of purchases benefiting Emma.

“There were so many people there, it was a really good feeling,” Emma Wyman’s father A.J. said. “I had to circle the lot 4 times before I got a spot.”

In all, about $600 was raised off of $3,000 in sales from individuals who paid using a special fundraising coupon. The Lakeland Hills YMCA in Mountain Lakes also donated a one-year family membership valued at $975, which was is expected to add an additional $100 to the total funds raised through a silent auction.

Patrolman Remo D'Alessandro said the department is grateful to the Parsippany Buffalo Wild Wings for supporting their fundraising efforts.

Later that night, the Wyman family joined several hundred others at a sold-out beefsteak dinner fundraiser for Emma, which featured a performance from comedian Artie Lange.

“All in all it was probably the best day that we've had since Emma got sick,” A.J. Wyman said. “We have so many people to be thankful for this year.”

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com