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Region – A group of Worcester residents is turning a former childhood tradition into a way to support the Worcester County Food Bank. The Worcester Hotdog Safari was organized by Thomas Mahoney when he was a kid. He and his friends and their dads would travel around Worcester with scorecards, rating the city’s hot dog trucks.
“It was a way to say ‘goodbye’ to summer and to have fun with friends made that summer or friends we had all our lives from our neighborhoods,” Mahoney recalled. “When it comes to a bunch of kids and their dads, not much brings people together like a hotdog.”
Several years ago, the idea came up to bring back the event, but as a way to raise funds for the Worcester County Food Bank.
“We still meet at the same place, we still load into beat up pickup trucks with our dads and we still have our scorecards,” he said. “This time around though things are a little different. Our numbers have grown and what once was a way to spend time goofing with friends and family has evolved into a citywide event that raises money for a very important organization.”
Each year, Safari organizers sell different merchandise, such as hats, shirts and stickers, and ask participants to donate $5 to enter. All proceeds go directly to the Food Bank.
This year’s event will take place Saturday, Aug. 15, beginning at noon at the Dogfather hotdog truck, 84 Holden St., Worcester, travelling to different hot dog trucks, and ending at Coney Island Hot Dogs, 158 Southbridge St., Worcester.
“The spirit of the safari is always to become bigger and better each year,” Mahoney said. “We want to bring in new people from all over to come and share in our tradition so it may become their tradition as well.”
To find out more, visit www.facebook.com/Theworcesterhotdogsafari.
