A winter snow storm of impressive proportions blasted the Northeast last week, creating incredible sledding for snow lovers, but extremely tough conditions for travelers and for retailers, on what is usually the biggest shopping week right before Christmas.    It was one of those weekends that no one was truly ready for, and that I know our entire company will remember forever.  And while our memories will include the many cancellations of schools, holiday parties and events, the memory that will prevail most in my mind is the spirit of the Wawa team who worked through some very challenging circumstances to remain open and ready to serve their customers and our communities.

I was one of the many, who watched the weather reports in awe, as expected snow totals kept climbing and climbing. The massive snowstorm was burying cities from Washington to Boston under as much as 2 feet of snow, in the largest snowstorm to hit the region since February 2003. New York City saw totals of up to a foot. The governor of Virginia declared a state of emergency.  Washington, D.C., declared a snow emergency so that it could clear major streets and reduce mass transit service if necessary.
And at the end of the storm, the numbers were even more astounding!  December 19 became the snowiest December day on record in several Mid-Atlantic locations, including Philadelphia, PA with 22.5 inches, Baltimore, MD with 20.5 inches, and Washington, DC with 15.0 inches. Philadelphia (with 23.2 inches on December 19-20) experienced its second-highest single-storm total, behind 30.7 inches during a January 1996 event. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/National-Weather--Blizzard-Recovery--Record-Lows-In-The-West/2009-12-23/Article.aspx?oid=969910

With most of the stores in our five-state operating area encased in this winter wonderland, we had to jump into action as quickly as possible.  Our store teams plowed through to keep the coffee hot and the doors open for customers.  Only 12 of our 572 stores closed for a brief period of time.  How did they do it?  By following our Wawa values of doing things right, delighting customers, and having a passion for winning no matter what the circumstances may be.

So many efforts went into the great endeavor to keep our stores open.  It took planning from our weather crisis team to increase deliveries of vitals like bread, milk and rock salt in advance.   It took our supply chain carefully planning routes to keep stores in stock with both food and grocery products and gasoline.  It took field maintenance associates maintaining parking lots and keeping stores operating without a hitch.  It took our Call Center staff keeping everyone up-to-date on of all store statuses and helping solve everyone's problems.  And of course, it took our wonderful store associates who worked extra shifts and worked creative schedules to keep our store doors open, providing a welcome respite for customers, emergency workers, snow plow teams and others who worked hard to fight the conditions.

So when I think back on this December's snow event, while I'll remember our shock and surprise at a storm that caught the region by surprise before the calendar officially acknowledged the Winter season, what I'll remember most is the valiant efforts of our associates.  Thanks to them, we were able to provide vital service, a smile, and a warm cup of coffee, for people who count on us to be there for them.  I thank each and every one of them for creating a winter Wawaland even in the coldest and stormiest of days.

'Till next time...

Two and a half years ago, Emily Koch, Mary Speer, Andrea Sasin, Ann Wuetig and Jill Fitzpatrick set out on an ambitious mission -- to stop at every at every single Wawa store in our entire chain before the year 2010, in an effort to raise funds for the Melanoma International Foundation (MIF).  These five childhood friends, now known fondly as the 2010 Girls, crusaded in honor of their classmate, Maria Whitehead, who sadly died of Melanoma in 2006.  

Since early 2007, these five women from West Chester, PA have been fervently visiting all of our stores, using Google Maps and a spreadsheet to keep track of their journeys. They gained a faithful following along the way and you may have spotted them in one of our stores, on TV, or in the newspaper as they raised awareness about Melanoma. If this is your first time hearing about the Wawa 2010 Girls, they’ve documented every step of their mission at wawa2010.blogspot.com. 

Two weeks ago, Emily, Mary, Andrea, Ann and Jill completed their odyssey, and yes, they did it before 2010! Their final stop occurred at the grand opening celebration of our new store in Zieglerville, PA, and I have to say, it was one of the most meaningful grand openings we’ve had.  Members of the MIF, Wawa store associates and community members all came out to share in the celebration of their feat, as the girls made their final Wawa purchase.  They even joined us in a hoagie building competition where they were challenged to build as many hoagies as possible in the traditional Wawa way.  In addition to matching the $2,500 the women raised, we were honored to make a $10,000 contribution to the MIF, and additionally donate money for every hoagie the girls built. 

Jill Fitzpatrick had a chance to reflect on their journey at the celebration saying, "Throughout our mission, our love of Wawa has only grown as we have experienced the ins and outs and unique personalities of each one. I was able to learn the geography of the region on long road trips, grow closer to good friends, support a worthwhile charity, and continually satisfied my addiction to fountain sodas."

Emily Koch echoed Jill’s sentiment, saying “I am amazed at how much our lives have changed because of one simple idea to visit every Wawa.” 

To Emily I have to say, you’d be amazed by how many lives you have changed by seeing your mission to the end.  Throughout the years all of us at Wawa have rallied around causes that affect our associates and their families, so we know first hand the importance of championing and brining awareness to important causes in the communities we serve.  To us, part of being a leader in convenience is about remaining committed to helping our customers and community members, and rallying around the people who make up our Wawa extended family.

So congratulations to Emily, Mary, Andrea, Ann and Jill.  We hope that although your mission is complete, we will still see you again in our stores sometime soon.

‘Till next time…  

Fall is a wonderful time of year.  The leaves are turning, the air is crisp, and everyone seems refreshed from a wonderful summer.  Unfortunately, Fall is also the start of Flu Season, and this year we’re all aware that we should take some extra precautions, with the combination of seasonal flu and H1N1 in our midst.

At Wawa we have always been committed to keeping our customers and associates as safe and healthy as possible.  So this year, we’ve partnered up with the American Red Cross to help equip our customers and associates with flu prevention information.  Beginning this week, when you walk into any of our 570 stores we will have flu prevention tips readily available.
(Flu Prevention Tips.pdf)

You’ll notice small flyers in stores with:
• General information about H1N1
• Recommended prevention tips (such as stocking up on supplies and being in contact with healthcare professionals)
• Steps that we are taking to protect customers and associates

You’ll also notice that we have made hand sanitizer available for all of our customers at the check-out counters. In addition, we will be sanitizing in-store customer equipment like ATM's and Touch Screens more frequently, as well as making an extra effort to heighten awareness about flu preparedness among associates and customers.

One of Wawa’s six core values is to do things right. That’s why we’re taking these important steps to keep all of our customers and associates well during flue season. We have a long-standing commitment to quality assurance and sanitation and during flu season, so it’s our hope that these basics, along with some extra precaution, can help keep everyone well.

We believe strongly that preparation is the best medicine. Our flu prevention tips can easily be accessed at any Wawa store, or on the Red Cross' website at http://www.redcross.org/pandemicflu. So here’s to a healthy, flu-free fall.