PD Wins Grill-Off Challenge Against Fire for Charity

and were called into action Saturday for a charitable cause: a first-ever grill off challenge to benefit the Special Olympics. 

hosted the event, with competing grills staged in front of the store’s Deerfield Square location. The event raised about $700 during its two hours, said Cheri Endler, marketing specialist with Whole Foods.

“The police department is going to show we’re the king of the barbeque,” said one officer who was manning the grill. His prediction proved accurate: participants were asked to rate the best burger, and the police department’s black and blue burger, featuring bleu cheese and French onion dip ingredients in the mix, edged by the fire department’s Mediterranean burger with sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, and baby spinach toppings.

Deerfield resident Marilyn Rategan stopped by to enjoy a burger and support the Special Olympics. She said she’d recently started a Weight-Watchers program, but was willing to put it on hold for a day. “I gave it up for a good cause,” she said.

Endler of Whole Foods said all proceeds from the $6-per-plate event would go to the Special Olympics, an organization that supports athletes with intellectual disabilities.