Six pizza parlors battled it out for the title of Best Pizza in Manhattan. As an event incorporated in Week of Welcome, the campus ministry Cats for Christ held a pizza tasting contest in their 1501 Dension Avenue residence.
Referred to as a ‘home away from home on campus,’ the Cats for Christ building opened its doors to whoever was out and about Tuesday night around 7 p.m. with signs in the yard that said “Free Pizza;” approximately 31 students voted on their first and second place choices of pizza, donated from Old Chicago, Dominos, Pizza Hut, AJ’s NY, Gambinos, Papa John’s and a home made pizza from Dana Townsend, professor of biology.
Cary McCall, Cats for Christ campus minister, facilitates work of the ministry, oversees what takes place at the building and drives the mission of the ministry. For Week of Welcome, he wanted a unique, fun and non-threatening way of connecting with people. So, randomly at a meeting while brainstorming for this event, someone wanted to get a pizza.
“As soon as someone said pizza, another person was like ‘hey, that’s an idea’ and it just sparked from there,” said Hal Hockersmith, former president for Cats for Christ.
Although he has graduated, he said it is hard for him to leave behind what was once a huge part of his life.
“Cats for Christ is a group of students that get together to explore their faith,” he said. “We do various activities together and encourage each other.”
Hockersmith said the goal, once deciding on ordering pizza for everyone, was to help students know what they like and what they don’t like as well as saving money by not buying a pizza from a place only to find they hate it after one bite.
K-Staters and family walked in a line and took pre-cut square of pizza which had numbers under each plate. Participants then wrote their first and second choice on a sheet of paper. It was then tallied up and the winner declared.
AJ’s NY Pizzeria.
Magye Loya, freshman in business marketing, Bianca Williams, freshman in kinesology, and Brooke Sharp, freshman in nutrition and kinesiology, all said AJ’s BBQ Chicken Pie pizza was the best. None of them had ever tried their pizza before either.
With 27 pizzas donated all together, Kavan Rogness, second-year graduate student in communications studies and public speaking GTA, said he is thankful.
“It is much appreciated that these six establishments feel comfortable among the community,” he said. “I physically drove to each pizza parlor, which was not the best idea, managers working, etcetera. But after calling, I was surprised by everyone jumping on board with little persuasion. Of course, the added hype of other pizza places donating helped.”
McCall said the turnout was great for the first year of this event and he hopes to expand in the future, although Townsend’s pizza will always be his favorite.
“There were so many people, I was trying to meet everyone,” said associate campus minister, Lacey Wrigley. “This was the best idea ever!”