DEARBORN, Michigan – Five Dearborn officials took pies in the face for a good cause on Saturday at the annual Relay for Life event that benefits the American Cancer Society.
Team Dearborn, one of several teams participating in the day-long Relay on the grounds of the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, convinced the five officials to be part of “Four Pies and a Poncho.” The premise was that the officials’ names would be posted by donation jars and the one who received the most in donations would get the poncho – and the others would get the pies, which they would throw at the “winner.” (See more action photos in Pie Fight part 2.)
Despite wearing a Team O’Reilly T-shirt in an apparent attempt to get a measure of pie-slinging mercy from the Mayor , Wayne County Commissioner Gary Woronchak was hit with a pie by Mayor John B. O’Reilly, who himself had already been creamed in the fund-raising event at Relay for Life. (photo by Margaret Pedenelli)
Volunteering to potentially get a face full of pie were Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Wayne County Commission Chairman Gary Woronchak, Dearborn schools Superintendent Brian Whiston, Dearborn Fire Lt. and Burn Drive Chairman Steve Worden and Dearborn High Principal Chuck Baughman.
More than $1,200 in donations came in throughout the day, with Whiston leading the pack with nearly $440 from those who wanted him to take the pie-ing.
The participants deviated from the plan as the pie-throwing commenced, however.
Woronchak was first in line and creamed Whiston with a pie to start things off. But from there, a brief pie-melee ensued, with each of the five winding up facing a bit of messy – yet strangely tasty, according to Woronchak – few moments of mayhem.
Woronchak himself, despite wearing an O’Reilly T-shirt, was pie-whacked by the Mayor.
“I assumed that wearing a pro-mayor shirt might buy me a measure of mercy from the Mayor, if I were to be selected to get hit with the pies,” Woronchak said. “I was incorrect.”
After the pies had been thrown, the messy participants displayed the results. From left are Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive Chairman and Fire Lt. Steve Worden, Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Wayne County Commissioner Gary Woronchak, Dearborn High Principal Chuck Baughman, and Superintendent Brian Whiston. (photo by Margaret Pedenelli)
Debbie Malyn, co-captain of Team Dearborn at Relay for Life, said, “We’re extremely grateful to our city leaders for being good sports for such a great cause.”