Penguins’ Bryan Rust, Zach Aston-Reese, Marcus Pettersson buy 500 pizzas for needy
In another example of goodwill by athletes from local pro sports teams during the coronavirus pandemic, Pittsburgh Penguins players Bryan Rust, Zach Aston-Reese and Marcus Pettersson purchased 500 personal pizzas for local community distribution centers.
The Fox’s Pizza Den personal-sized pizzas were delivered early Friday to the locales in the Hill District (the Neighborhood Resilience Project and the Jeron X. Grayson Community Center) and North Side (The EAT Initiative Third Meal).
“We are proud that Bryan, Marcus and Zach stepped forward in this way to assist members of our community,” Penguins president and CEO David Morehouse said in a statement. “During these challenging times, it’s important for all of us to come together in support of those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.”
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— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 3, 2020
According to the Penguins’ statement, meals will help feed children and their families who normally rely on schools and community pantries for meals.
“Words can’t adequately express our appreciation for the Penguins family’s continuous support of the Hill,” the CEO of the Jeron X. Grayson Community Center, Rev. Glenn G. Grayson Sr., said in a statement. “As our families enjoy these pizza meals, I believe it will resonate that we are stronger together.”
Rust, a fifth-year winger, was having a career year when the NHL season was suspended out of concern for the spread of covid-19. Pettersson is in his second season as one of the team’s regular defensemen, and Aston-Reese is a winger in his third NHL season.
Aston-Reese’s father, Will, is a Crafton native.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for people to know that our neighbor and hometown team is with us at this stressful and dangerous time,” Neighborhood Resilience Project CEO Fr. Paul Abernathy said in a statement.
Last month, Pirates players teamed up to buy 400 pizzas for delivery to workers at Allegheny General Hospital.
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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