SHENANDOAH — Family, heritage and hometown pride were at the heart of a National Pierogy Day flag-raising ceremony at Shenandoah Borough Hall, where Mrs. T’s Pierogies celebrated the community roots behind its nationally known brand.
Speaking during the , ceremony, Mrs. T’s representative Chris Dende reflected on the generations of families who made pierogies together and the traditions that helped inspire company founder Ted Twardzik Sr.
Celebrating Family and Heritage
“This is a celebration of history, community. It is about our heritage and our family and the pierogi is a symbol of resilience and love,” Dende said.
For Dende, the celebration’s meaning reached beyond the food itself. He described pierogies as a connection between generations and a reason for families to gather.
“Why is that so important today? I'll tell you why. It's family. It's all about family. It's about bringing people together,” he said.
Dende recalled the coal miners, steel mill workers and groups gathered in church basements who prepared pierogies using family recipes, instinct and care. He spoke about the love expressed through making the food, from preparing the filling to pinching each pierogy closed.
From a Shenandoah Family Recipe to a National Brand
That tradition was central to the story of Mary Twardzik, whose cooking inspired her son Ted to establish Mrs. T’s in 1952. Ted named the company in her honor after making his first pierogy sale to a local Shenandoah grocery store.
National Pierogy Day, established in 2008 and celebrated annually on October 8, recognizes that first sale.
During his remarks, Dende connected Mary’s home cooking with the production operation that remains in Shenandoah. He described how the company carried those local beginnings into a business distributing pierogies across all 50 states while emphasizing quality, consistency and its family origins.
Passing the Tradition to Future Generations
Dende said the hometown setting gave the ceremony particular meaning because Shenandoah understands the traditions behind the company and the importance of preserving them.
He also spoke about the comfort and enjoyment pierogies bring to the table, whether prepared with butter and onions, paired with vegetables, baked or cooked in a pan. Throughout his address, he encouraged families to keep those shared meals and traditions alive.
“Today is a celebration for all of us, for all of your families, for all of our tradition, for all of our heritage, and most importantly to pass it on,” Dende said.
National Pierogy Day Celebration in Shenandoah
