Bethel Park Music Boosters’ hoagie sales mark 50 years

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Bethel Park Music Boosters’ hoagie sales, the organization is taking a cue from Willie Wonka.

“When you purchase your delicious hoagie, look inside the wrapper for the special surprise of a golden ticket,” Aaron Booz announced. “In each sale, we slip in 50 golden tickets in the wrappers, and you can win a free hoagie for the next sale.”

Booz, who teaches music at Neil Armstrong Middle School, served as emcee for the 54th annual Bethel Park Festival of Marching Bands. At the outset, the boosters received commendations from Mayor Jack Allen and the Pennsylvania Legislature for carrying on the multigenerational sandwich-selling efforts on behalf of talented students.

“This fundraiser allows students of all the music programs to attend spring trips in amazing locations where they participate in adjudications and workshops,” Booz said during the Oct. 8 event at the high school stadium. “The fundraiser allows the students to have professional musicians and college professors come in to work with them for master classes.”

Accepting the honors from the mayor — “Mr. Allen made hoagies, himself, for several years,” according to the emcee — and state Rep. Natalie Mihalek, R-Peters, was Janice Brososki, music boosters president. She co-chaired the festival committee with Erin Janus.

Joining the Bethel Park High School Black Hawk Marching Band, Drum Line and Top 21 chorus in performances were students from Belle Vernon, Baldwin, Connellsville Area, Avella, South Fayette, North Hills and Upper St. Clair, along with Fort LeBoeuf, traveling from Erie County.

“In our schools, we don’t just learn music because it makes you smarter,” Booz said. “We do it because playing music with friends is one of the most rewarding, fun things a person can do.”

The Bethel Park Music Boosters have five hoagie sales scheduled for 2022-23, with the next one scheduled for delivery on Nov. 12. Others are in January, March and April.

Available with turkey or a combination of bologna, ham and salami, and topped with cheese and veggies, the footlong hoagies cost $7.

“Mission hoagies” can be purchased for donation to charity. According to the boosters, more than 4,000 sandwiches went last year to the Washington City Mission, 8 Avenue Place in Homestead and Narrow Gate Missions.

For more information, visit bpmusicboosters.com.