SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — In the history of memorable kisses, this one was, well, not.
Rodan’s famous sculpture, The Kiss, had nothing to be concerned about.
Nor will this one be remembered as fondly as that VJ Day kiss between the sailor and stranger on Times Square at the end of World War II.
Remember the heart-warming spaghetti-eating kiss between the Lady and the Tramp?
This one was more like Piggy and the Gramp.
Wherever this kiss lands on the all-time kiss list, leave it to 75-year-old Lehigh County Executive Phil Armstrong to be all in playing the role of the joker for a great cause.
Armstrong and Jason Cumello, director of the Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehab Center, went head-to-head in a fundraising battle, with proceeds from both benefiting the Cedarbrook Auxiliary.
The fundraiser was held only on the center’s Facebook site.
At stake: The losing fundraiser had to kiss a pig on the snout in front of many of the residents in the center’s auditorium.
The final tally: Armstrong $93, Cumello $110.05.
'Sold a lot of mansions'
“I haven’t met the pig’s parents or anything yet, before I kiss the pig,” Armstrong said, eliciting a laugh from the residents.
After applying a generous coating of ChapStick, Armstrong leaned into the face of Brook, a Duroc swine breed piglet from Hillside Acres in Lenhartsville, Berks County, and planted a quick smooch.
And another.
And then another, to the delight of the residents.
“We do these things because it’s for a great cause, to help the auxiliary.”Phil Armstrong, Lehigh County executive
“That’s the great part of our jobs, to do these wonderful things to support these organizations that support all of us,” Armstrong said.
“We do these things because it’s for a great cause, to help the auxiliary.”
Jean Larison, president of Cedarbrook's residents council and a member of the 22-year-old auxiliary, said the money goes to good use.
“All the money our fundraisers raise goes right back to the residents,” Larison said. “We use it for things like paying for entertainment, to put curtains in the gift shop, to buy a boom box for music when we’re outside, lots of things.
“We’ve paid $1,000 toward a $9,000 computer for residents with dementia. Whatever we can use the money for to help the residents, that’s what we do.”
'Sold a lot of mansions'
Armstrong wasn’t the only one to pucker up for the pig. Cumello also gave the porker a peck.
Many of the residents took photos holding the pig, with some even puckering up for the little girl.
“We’re always looking for something different for the residents,” Cedarbrook Director of Life Enrichment Jean Szakacs Strohl said.
“In this case, one of our residents suggested the kiss-the-pig fundraiser.
“Some people go to retirement homes just to die. Here, our residents are thriving.”
Newsweek agrees.
The magazine partnered with the respected global data research firm Statista Inc. to establish a ranking of Best Nursing Homes.
More than 15,000 nursing homes in the United States were analyzed. Cedarbrook was listed among the best in Pennsylvania.
