After waiting more than two hours, Janet Babcock of Waterford met two of her favorite actors, Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl, at the Kroger Marketplace on Tuesday, May 19, in White Lake.
“I cried. I was so excited,” Babcock, who watched Duffy on “Dallas” and Purl as “Matlock”’s daughter, told the Free Press.
As Duffy and Purl walked up to the table where they’d greet customers, sign and hand out recipe cards, cheers of “Bobby,” “Bobby,” “Bobby,” came from nearly 100 people in line. They received a swag bag that included a loaf of Duffy’s Dough, a cutting board, local products, including a jar of McClure’s pickles and Kroger’s Murray’s Jam and Private Selection crackers.
Duffy and Purl were in town promoting their line of sourdough bread products made from a sourdough starter that’s been in the Duffy family for more than 70 years. Now that sourdough starter has made its way to the Duffy’s Dough line of breads, made and sold by Kroger at its nationwide family of stores.The bread line, two sourdough breads, artisan rolls and baguettes began arriving early this month at the 120 Michigan Kroger stores.
And it’s bread for a cause. All proceeds from the profits go to hunger relief efforts.
As part of the event on Tuesday, Duffy’s Dough and Kroger of Michigan donated $5,000 and 250 loaves of Duffy’s Dough to the Salvation Army’s Bed and Bread program.
“With this donation, we are able to serve 400 individuals this month because of their generosity,” said Jamie Winkler, executive director of the Salvation Army’s Great Lakes Harbor Light System.
Duffy’s Dough: a message that resonates
After launching the bread line about a year ago, Purl said one thing that resonates and is a commonality is food scarcity.
“We had no idea of the severity of food scarcity in America. None, Purl said.
Now that the couple has been able to visit food banks and food support systems across the country and those in southwest Michigan, they’ve been bowled over by the community volunteers.
“This army of do-good people that are joyful, filled with gratitude, a sense of selflessness,” Purl said. “They have long days, and they do hard work, and they are grateful for it and can’t wait to come back the next day. To feel that pulse of the best of humanity all around us in the food scarcity effort has been mind-blowing.”
Duffy added: “What she said.”
Duffy’s Dough is currently on sale for $3.99 at Kroger of Michigan stores and retails for $4.49.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Fans pack Waterford Kroger to see actors Patrick Duffy, Linda Purl
Reporting by Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
