Community to spend Thursday supporting Bear Hug Pizza Guy

[RockaFowler]

Now, after word has spread that Tea Party and Republican sympathizers are talking about boycotting Big Apple Pizza, Van Duzer's supporters are taking action of their own.

They're rallying support all day Thursday to thank Van Duzer, who started a foundation that bears his name and helps St. Lucie County families going through hard times. Whether it's organizing a blood drive or a food drive, Van Duzer has always been there to help, Rebecca Sturgill said.

"It boggles my mind that people who have such narrow views would try to boycott a business that gives so much back to the community," she said. "We're inviting the entire community to come out and have a slice, have a pie, sit and visit, say thank you to the man who's made such a difference in our community."


Read more: http://www.wpbf.com/news/south-florida/treasure-coast/Community-to-spend-Thursday-supporting-Bear-Hug-Pizza-Guy/-/8882916/16587708/-/6dybwoz/-/index.html#ixzz26MNjrIt4

Hubby and I are going there tonight!! It's time for an Italian Sub! Or a stromboli!! Yummy!

[Raster]

1. Right on! Please have a slice for me!

[66 dmhlt]

23. Taking cuts to report it was A HUGE SUCCESS!!

Big Apple Pizza Supporters Turn Out in Droves

Van Duzer said business has been up 200 percent this week.

http://www.wpbf.com/news/south-florida/treasure-coast/Big-Apple-Pizza-supporters-turn-out-in-droves/-/8882916/16602446/-/12q5wmy/-/index.html?absolute=true

[catbyte]

2. Awesome, Rock! Those small, petty teabillies. are only succeeding

at making themselves look like the pathetic people that they are. I actually feel sorry for them.

[Botany]

3. My email back from the President's "hug buddy" foundation

My email back from the President's "hug buddy" foundation

I was so happy to see the bear hug for the POTUS and so upset about the talk of
a boycott of his business that I sent a little money to his foundation and this is what
I got in return. BTW thanx to DU for telling about the foundation too.

"On behalf of Scott and the entire Van Duzer Foundation, I’d like to take a moment to thank you for your recent contribution to the Van Duzer Foundation. If you’re getting this letter of thanks, there’s a pretty good chance that you learned about Scott and the Van Duzer Foundation because of Scott’s enthusiastic bear hug of President Barack Obama. While that may have been how you were introduced to us, we hope you’ll remain friends with us because of our mission and what we try to do in our community and around the world.

The mission of the Van Duzer Foundation is to assist families and individuals in St. Lucie County Florida, who are experiencing financial and personal hardship brought about by unforeseen crisis or tragedy. And, while we limit our fundraising and donations to St. Lucie County (simply because we are a small, completely volunteer organization), we do try to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation throughout Florida and the United States. Please know that your donation will be well-used and is much-appreciated. We never give a thought to politics or what political party the families we help belong to – and we won’t start doing it now, either.

Thank you again for your donation and your words of support and encouragement. Oh, and just in case you wondered – yes, that hug from Scott was real and completely unscripted. None of us who know Scott Van Duzer were a bit surprised – he is a big guy with a gigantic, tender heart, and more enthusiasm than a whole classroom of happy kids. If you ever happen to be visiting the Treasure Coast of Florida, please stop by Big Apple Pizza and introduce yourself to Scott – and don’t forget to try the garlic knots."

http://thevanduzerfoundation.org/

[RockaFowler]

4. Love this

I love our small town. And Scott has put St Lucie County on the map for a good reason. He does more for our community than most people actually know. I have always loved what he does for the community and I'm so glad more people are getting to know that too.

[Botany]

5. Please go and have a slice @ Scott's place please ..

.... and tell him he has a fan in Ohio.

[Sophiegirl]

20. Also...

...has one in VA!!!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

6. Glad to know about some good news coming out of my Sunshine State!

Too often we have to hear about the 2000 election or Rick Scott or Allen West or some embarassment imported onto us. Glad to know there are people like Scott Van Duzer to help counterbalance the news for us!

[TahitiNut]

8. One thing's for sure: If I'm EVER in the area, I'd make a HUGE effort to stop by and meet him.

I'm a HUGE fan of hugs ... man hugs, puppy pile hugs, boy-girl hugs, young-old hugs, enthusiastic hugs of ALL kinds. Hugs help make us HEALTHY. Scott Van DUzer is one of my very favorite kinds of human beans -- a hugger!!

I don't mind saying that he's done an ENORMOUS service to his state ... going a LONG, LONG way to ameliorate a very negative image I have of Floriduh. He deserves an award from the Florida Chamber of Commerce for single-handedly improving the image of the state.

[peace13]

7. Great video!

I had seen the stills but that is way cool. Bookmarked the foundation for future reference.

[radhika]

9. Van Duzer sounds like a terrific, altruistic, community-lovin' guy...

why was he even a Republican in the first place?

I'm expecting the PTB to challenge or block his vote on election day...

[porphyrian]

10. . n/t

[tk2kewl]

11. K&R

[barbtries]

12. tell him

DU wants to give him a great big bear hug!

[Aldo Leopold]

13. A tale of two candidates in pictures...

Obama bear hug and Mitt McPodiumsmirk.

[hamsterjill]

14. So happy to read this!

And I promptly shared for all of my Republican friends on Facebook!

[BlueStreak]

15. You can't buy advertising like that

[Plucketeer]

16. I'm bettin' the pizza in itself, tastes great

But it's gotta be even more tasty given the developing story.

[Tarheel_Dem]

17. This makes we long for smell-o-vision. I hope he gets a ton of support, and I hope there are pics.

[Blue Owl]

18. His enthusiasm is contagious!

Although I probably would never feel the need to bear hug President Obama, I sure would like to shake his hand and commend him for the admirable work he is doing after the previous 8 years of the Bu$hCo disaster.

If President Obama and the DOJ went after the criminals of the GOP who steal elections, disenfranchise voters, and stab our democracy in the back -- well THEN I'd give B.O. a big giant bear hug for sure!

[Akoto]

19. I live in the area and plan to get a pizza from him. Big Apple makes great stuff. n/t

[Cha]

21. Scott Van Duzer is the Gift

who keeps on Giving and now the Community is Giving Back..

Bon Appetito, RockaFowler!

[lunatica]

22. Tell him DU loves him and that many wanted to order pizza for food shelters when they heard

[BeccaEyesSturgill]

24. Thursday ended up great, thanks everyone!

Hi All! It's Rebecca Sturgill, and I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for making the Thursday September 13th, 2012 event go so well. It was packed there all day long, and I was so grateful to see so many friends and family come out, as well as people from all over the state and some even from father away than that! All types of people, of all colors, creeds, religions and politics. It shows that if you live well, and do good for you fellow man, that those things will come back to, ten fold. May our beloved friend, Scott, be blessed, coming and going, every day of his life.
Blessed Be,
Rebecca "Eyes" Sturgill

[DURHAM D]

27. Welcome to DU Rebecca.

Stick around.

Glad it was a big success.

[JI7]

25. TeaBaggers will go to PApa Johns

which one would you rather eat ?

[darkangel218]

26. Ill pass by there next week.